Undergraduate students who wished to enter sensitivity groups filled in Shostrom's Personal Orientation Inventory and also indicated their degree of loneliness. Ss low in loneliness obtained higher scores on the personality scale, with eight of the 12 subscales significantly different from Ss high in loneliness. (Author)

Feelings of loneliness result from the lack of opportunity to relate to others on an intimate level and express one's thoughts and emotions freely, without fear of rejection or misunderstanding. American society frustrates this need by emphasizing individual fulfillment and downgrading the importance of commitment to others. (Author)