Psychology Today: Designing for Happiness

Link to Article: Five ways to create places that connect us.

KEY POINTS

• Loneliness and social isolation are threatening millions of people; however, increasing connection can reduce risk.

• The places we live can exacerbate our sense of isolation and loneliness.

• Concrete design strategies—like universal accessibility, incorporation of nature, and shared spaces—can foster social health.

Authors' Note

Erin Peavey co-authored this post with Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Brigham Young University and a fellow of the Society of Experimental Social Psychology and Association for Psychological Science. Both have spent a great deal of their careers focused on the role of social connection in health. What has become clear to them is not only the staggering toll of loneliness on the health of our nations, but also the very real role that the built environment plays in shaping our landscape of disconnection.