The proposed project aims to address loneliness among young adults aged 18–26, focusing on the role of technology and its potential to both exacerbate and alleviate feelings of isolation. We seek to fill the knowledge gap surrounding the causal relationship between technology use and loneliness, with emphasis on understanding the societal stigma attached to it. We hypothesise that a ‘social-presence dimension’ is pivotal in defining the spectrum of human communication, ranging from abstract communication in modern social platforms to authentic face-to-face engagement. The interdisciplinary project contains five work packages (WPs), to investigate short-, medium-, and long-term effects of technology use on loneliness. Measurement tools encompass self-reporting, mobile behavioural tracking, think-aloud methods, and neuroimaging. Three PhD students, supervised by experts in engineering, cognitive psychology, and neuroscience, will collaborate with partners from mental health care, e-health services, serious gaming, and student welfare. Each WP targets a unique area: technology impact on young-adult loneliness (WP1); cognitive and emotional responses to technology use (WP2); neurological implications (WP3); innovative strategies to lessen loneliness and stigma (WP4); and generalising findings to other target groups (WP5). Expected outputs include a comprehensive understanding of the technology-loneliness relationship, evidence-based guidelines, novel technological solutions, and effective coping strategies. The project achieves societal impact through outcomes such as adjusted educator approaches, redesigned technology products, and increased awareness. In summary, the project will contribute to effective solutions for combating loneliness among young adults by shedding light on the positive or negative role of technology, illuminating root causes, and breaking the societal taboo.
