--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are extremes within any population…" description: "\"“There are extremes within any population, but on average, at least among young adults, those who feel lonely actually spend no more time alone than do..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb3/john-t-cacioppo-74665_feeling-lonely_there-are-extremes-within-any-population_2753077.jpg" --- # There are extremes within any population, but on average… ![“There are extremes within any population, but on average, at least among young adults, those who feel lonely actually spend no more time alone than do those who feel more connected. They are no more or less physically attractive than average, and they do not differ, on average, from the non-lonely…” quote by John T. Cacioppo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb3/john-t-cacioppo-74665_feeling-lonely_there-are-extremes-within-any-population_2753077.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb3/john-t-cacioppo-74665_feeling-lonely_there-are-extremes-within-any-population_2753077.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb3/john-t-cacioppo-74665_feeling-lonely_there-are-extremes-within-any-population_2753077.jpg) > ““There are extremes within any population, but on average, at least among young adults, those who feel lonely actually spend no more time alone than do those who feel more connected. They are no more or less physically attractive than average, and they do not differ, on average, from the non-lonely in terms of height, weight, age, education, or intelligence. Most important, when we look at the broad continuum (rather than just the extremes) of people who feel lonely, we find that they have the capacity to be just as socially adept as anyone else. Feeling lonely does not mean that we have deficient social skills.”” [John T. Cacioppo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-t-cacioppo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Loneliness is a subjective feeling that does not reflect objective social isolation or physical traits; people feeling lonely can be socially competent. **In simple terms:** Loneliness is about perception, not lack of skill. Key Takeaway Recognize loneliness as a mindset, not a deficit. Themes loneliness perception social skills mental health Mood reflective empathetic Type psychological educational When to use this quote - counseling sessions - workplace team building - education on mental health - community outreach Key Concepts subjective experience social cognition psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does perception shape your social experience? - What actions can change the feeling of loneliness? A Different Perspective Loneliness may still correlate with other stressors not captured here. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Feel Connected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-connected/) [Feel Lonely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-lonely/) [Feeling lonely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling-lonely/) [Loneliness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loneliness/) [Lonely Capacity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lonely-capacity-3114418/) [Non Lonely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/non-lonely-3114419/) [Social skills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-skills/) [Solitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solitude/) [Time alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-alone/) [Young adults](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-adults/) ## Related quotes > [“There used to be a saying “In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule.” But as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/there-used-to-be-a-saying-in-individuals-insanity-is-rare-but-in/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [Dance, which displays the body in public, is one of the channels of communication used to pass along important social skills from one generation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-jonas/dance-which-displays-the-body-in-public-is-one-of-the-channels-of/) [Gerald Jonas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-jonas/) > [What I've found in my career is that 70 to 75 percent of comics are nice and have some sense of social skills, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/what-i-ve-found-in-my-career-is-that-70-to-75-percent-of-comics-are/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [“Your name?" George asked him directly. He had probably seen the man a dozen times before yet did not know anything about him. King…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mette-ivie-harrison/your-name-george-asked-him-directly-he-had-probably-seen-the-man-a/) [Mette Ivie Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mette-ivie-harrison/) > [The fears that assault us are mostly simple anxieties about social skills, about intimacy, about likeableness, or about performance. We need not give emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/the-fears-that-assault-us-are-mostly-simple-anxieties-about-social/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [“Imagine you live on a planet where the dominant species is far more intellectually sophisticated than human beings but often keeps humans as companion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-donaldson/imagine-you-live-on-a-planet-where-the-dominant-species-is-far-more/) [Jean Donaldson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-donaldson/) > [Looking ahead, future generations may learn their social skills from robots in the first place. The cute yellow Keepon robot from Carnegie Mellon University…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-wilson/looking-ahead-future-generations-may-learn-their-social-skills-from/) [Daniel H. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-wilson/) > [“Emily squared her shoulders and said simply, “I’m fine, I’m not really loving your social skills though. Don’t you know this is no way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-rae/emily-squared-her-shoulders-and-said-simply-i-m-fine-i-m-not-really/) [Nicole Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-rae/) > [“You have no idea how to comfort anyone, do you? (Astrid) In case you haven’t noticed, princess, social skills aren’t my forte. Hell, you’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/you-have-no-idea-how-to-comfort-anyone-do-you-astrid-in-case-you/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“Life-transforming ideas have always come to me through books.” - Bell Hooks”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/win-quier/life-transforming-ideas-have-always-come-to-me-through-books-bell/) [Win Quier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/win-quier/) > [“Many of the benefits of CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) can be obtained without going into therapy. There are a number of self-help books, CDs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kirsch/many-of-the-benefits-of-cbt-cognitive-behavioral-therapy-can-be/) [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) > [“It was in Cleveland that Magic Slim became the most successful pornographic film producer in America. His training center was a key link in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hahn/it-was-in-cleveland-that-magic-slim-became-the-most-successful/) [Nick Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hahn/) > [“There are a few things that need to occur for our loved ones to have more relationships. First, they must learn some social skills…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chantal-sicile-kira/there-are-a-few-things-that-need-to-occur-for-our-loved-ones-to-have/) [Chantal Sicile-Kira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chantal-sicile-kira/) > [I think the shyness one feels in childhood is often overcome with time. There are children who hide behind their parents' legs, but you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/i-think-the-shyness-one-feels-in-childhood-is-often-overcome-with/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [I would never suggest to anyone that they drop school for chess. First of all even if you can make it in chess, your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viswanathan-anand/i-would-never-suggest-to-anyone-that-they-drop-school-for-chess-first/) [Viswanathan Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viswanathan-anand/) ## More by John T. Cacioppo > [“Real relief from loneliness requires the cooperation of at least one other person, and yet the more chronic our loneliness becomes, the less equipped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-t-cacioppo/real-relief-from-loneliness-requires-the-cooperation-of-at-least-one/) [John T. Cacioppo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-t-cacioppo/) > [“When we are lonely we not only react more intensely to the negatives; we also experience less of a soothing uplift from the positives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-t-cacioppo/when-we-are-lonely-we-not-only-react-more-intensely-to-the-negatives/) [John T. Cacioppo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-t-cacioppo/) [Explore all 3 John T. Cacioppo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-t-cacioppo/) ## More Feeling lonely quotes > [The worst feeling is not being lonely, sometimes it is being forgotten by someone you cant forget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-worst-feeling-is-not-being-lonely-sometimes-it-is-being-forgotten/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You should never feel lonely, neglected, fearful, or defeated when you remember that there are the shining ones. They are watching with keen interest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flower-a-newhouse/you-should-never-feel-lonely-neglected-fearful-or-defeated-when-you/) [Flower A. Newhouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flower-a-newhouse/) > [I used to receive virtual smiles, sweet morning and night greetings. Now all I have is silence, and a blistered heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/i-used-to-receive-virtual-smiles-sweet-morning-and-night-greetings/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [People think being alone makes you LONELY, But I don't think thats true. Being surrounded by wrong people is the loneliest thing in World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-think-being-alone-makes-you-lonely-but-i-don-t-think-thats/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't feel alone, because there is always someone out there who loves you more than you can imagine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/don-t-feel-alone-because-there-is-always-someone-out-there-who-loves/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [Dear God, thanks for being there when no one else was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myah/dear-god-thanks-for-being-there-when-no-one-else-was/) [Myah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myah/) > [There's nothing worse than feeling lonely in a relationship, its time to move on...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-nothing-worse-than-feeling-lonely-in-a-relationship-its-time/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Loneliness hits the minds of those that thinks they are single and alone. There's always someone out there waiting patiently for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/loneliness-hits-the-minds-of-those-that-thinks-they-are-single-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Once you're back on your feet - if you ever make it back on your feet - that's the ultimate achievement. I remember I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rihanna/once-you-re-back-on-your-feet-if-you-ever-make-it-back-on-your-feet/) [Rihanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rihanna/) > [The worst feeling: Being in a room full of PEOPLE & still being lonely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiana-j-wilson/the-worst-feeling-being-in-a-room-full-of-people-still-being-lonely/) [Kiana J Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiana-j-wilson/) > [I never feel lonely in the kitchen. Food is very friendly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-child/i-never-feel-lonely-in-the-kitchen-food-is-very-friendly/) [Julia Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-child/) > [Lonely isn't a feeling when you're alone, lonely is a feeling when no one cares.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lonely-isn-t-a-feeling-when-you-re-alone-lonely-is-a-feeling-when-no/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You'll never love yourself half as much as I love you, youll never treat yourself right, but I want you to, if I let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/one-direction/you-ll-never-love-yourself-half-as-much-as-i-love-you-youll-never/) [One Direction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/one-direction/) > [People used to talk bad about you,i defended you and told them they were wrong.stupid me.i finally see what they see](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/punkinhead-abhishek/people-used-to-talk-bad-about-you-i-defended-you-and-told-them-they/) [Punkinhead Abhishek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/punkinhead-abhishek/) > [Too much to ask for may leave me feeling lonely. Too little leaves me nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-loeb/too-much-to-ask-for-may-leave-me-feeling-lonely-too-little-leaves-me/) [Lisa Loeb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-loeb/) [Browse all 500 Feeling lonely quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling-lonely/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“There are extremes within any population, but on average, at least among young adults, those who feel lonely actually spend no more time alone than do those who feel more connected. They are no more or less physically attractive than average, and they do not differ, on average, from the non-lonely in terms of height, weight, age, education, or intelligence. Most important, when we look at the broad continuum (rather than just the extremes) of people who feel lonely, we find that they have the capacity to be just as socially adept as anyone else. 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