Lonely people create ''human beings''

London, Jan 21 (UNI) Percieving pets, gadgets and God like human beings is a clear pointer of you being ''lonely''.

A research shows that people in a way to alleviate their loneliness start treating other living and non-living things as humans who can be their partner in solitude.

''When people lack a sense of connection with other people, they are more likely to see their pets, gadgets or gods as human-like, '' said Nicholas Epley, Assistant Professor of Behavioral Science at the University of Chicago's Graduate School of Business.

Researchers term such behaviour ''anthropomorphism'', Science Daily reported.

''In the movie Castaway, Tom Hanks was isolated on an island and found the social desolation to be one of the most daunting challenges with which he had to deal," said Cacioppo, the Tiffany and Margaret Blake Distinguished Service Professor in Psychology at the University of Chicago.

''He did so, in part, by anthropomorphizing a volleyball, Wilson, who became his friend and confidant while he was on the island.

'' Although fictional, Castaway depicts a deep truth about the irrepressibly social nature of Homo sapiens,'' Cacioppo said.

Three experiments were done to test what lonely people do to make up for their lack of social connection.

In an experiment, people were asked to write about a time when they felt lonely or isolated.

It was found under those circumstances, they were more likely to believe in the supernatural, whether it be God, angels or miracles, than when they were not feeling lonely.

The research also pointed out that not just any negative emotional state produces this effect. ''It's something special about loneliness. Fear, for example, doesn't increase reported belief in God,'' Epley added.

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