Micaela Rodriguez

Social connection is fundamental to health and well-being. Yet social life is remarkably nuanced: we can feel lonely around other people or content when physically alone. My lab’s research addresses these tensions by examining experiences of social connection and disconnection, and the various forces that shape them. For example, we study the psychological functions and consequences of solitude, the role of digital technologies in fostering social (dis)connection, and relationships with nonhuman entities such as spiritual beings, pets, and AI companions. To conduct this work, we leverage diverse methodologies such as laboratory experiments, intensive longitudinal designs (e.g., experience sampling), digital data (e.g., chat transcripts), and cross-cultural approaches. Ultimately, our goal is to generate insights that both advance scientific theory and inform interventions, technologies, and policies that alleviate loneliness and promote well-being across diverse populations.