Maintaining intimacy during the COVID-19 pandemic

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Social Psychology
• Gerontology

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated social distancing, potentially impacting feelings of intimacy.
• Autobiographical memories are crucial for self-identity and social bonding.
• Understanding how memory functions during isolation is vital for mental well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if autobiographical memories help maintain intimacy during COVID-19 pandemic-related social isolation.
• To compare the role of social memories versus important memories in preserving intimacy.
• To examine age and loneliness differences in memory use for intimacy.

Main Methods:

• 104 young and older adults participated.
• Participants recalled three important memories and three social memories (related to missed social connections due to pandemic restrictions).
• Memory functions for intimacy and loneliness types were assessed.

Main Results:

• Social memories were more frequently used for intimacy functions than important memories.
• This effect was more pronounced in older adults compared to young adults.
• Social loneliness correlated with less use of important memories for intimacy, while emotional loneliness correlated positively.

Conclusions:

• Social memories are effective tools for maintaining intimacy during periods of social isolation, particularly for older adults.
• The type of loneliness experienced influences how individuals utilize memories to preserve intimacy.
• Findings highlight the adaptive role of specific memory types in navigating social disconnection across the lifespan.