Anne Neuber, M. Sc.

Anne Neuber is an academic staff member at the Professorship of Developmental and Educational Psychology.

PhD thesis: Social and emotional loneliness across the lifespan: developmental trajectories, cultural differences and changes through social transitions

Loneliness can take many different forms. Social loneliness occurs when a person feels that they lack a social network of friends or family members. Emotional loneliness describes the perceived absence of a close, familiar attachment figure. Both forms of loneliness have different causes and are based on different unfulfilled expectations and needs. It is therefore crucial to consider them separately and to understand their own patterns and causes. Our research project is dedicated to these facets of social and emotional loneliness in three interlinked sub-studies:

1. how do social and emotional loneliness develop over the lifespan?
We analyse large longitudinal studies from the Netherlands and Germany to understand how social and emotional loneliness develop from young adulthood to old age. Initial results show that Both forms of loneliness change slightly over the course of life, but not at the same pace and not in the same pattern. In particular, young adulthood appears to be a particularly vulnerable phase for both social and emotional loneliness.

2. do these age differences show up across cultures?
Loneliness is a global phenomenon - but cultural norms, family and societal structures shape how people experience loneliness. We compare countries from Europe, Asia and South America to examine whether age differences in social and emotional loneliness are similar around the world - and what factors might be behind them.

3. what role do social transitions such as starting to volunteer play?
Volunteering can open up new contacts and strengthen a sense of belonging. We are investigating how social and emotional loneliness change when people start or stop volunteering - and whether the two facets develop differently. This project helps us to better understand loneliness and to identify starting points for targeted, everyday measures to support people at different stages of their lives.

Further research:

• Risk and protective factors of loneliness

• Loneliness and health

   

Since 12/2023
Academic staff member at the Professorship of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Witten/Herdecke University

11/2023

Completion of M. Sc. in Psychology with specialisation in Clinical Psychology at the Ruhr University Bochum

10/2021
Degree B. Sc. in Psychology at the Ruhr University Bochum

• Seminar: Developmental Psychology II (B. Sc.)

   

• Different forms of loneliness
• Loneliness in different age groups
• Risk and protective factors of loneliness
• Loneliness and mental and physical health

Profiles:

• GoogleScholar:https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=zE_9UtcAAAAJ&hl=de&oi=ao
• ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Anne-Neuber
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-3825-7901

Memberships in professional organisations:

• German Society for Psychology (DGPs)
• European Association of Personality Psychology (EAPP)

Science communication:

• 05/2025 Keynote and panel discussion on "Loneliness as a health risk: epidemiology, risk factors and health consequences" at the GESA Congress 2025 - 10th Ruhr Area Congress on Child and Adolescent Health, Essen.
• 04/2025 Lecture on "The development of loneliness over the lifespan: When does being alone become a problem?" at the Alfrid Gilde Essen (Cartell Rupert Mayer), Essen.

• 01/2025 "Loneliness and health". Article published in the Kneipp Journal (Kneipp Verlag).