The Effects of Social Interaction on Anti-Aging

Cheryl Carmichael, a doctoral candidate at the University of Rochester in New York, conducted a study to determine how socializing in the early stages of life effected an elderly person’s health.  The study spanned a course of 30 years and was comprised of 20 year old college students (133 in total) who kept track of their daily social interactions at the age of 20, 30 and 50 years old.

Each participant was then asked to complete a survey in which they discussed the quality of their social lives and emotional well-being, including questions about depression and loneliness, as well as relationships with close friends.  It was determined that at the age of 20, building close relationships with people of diverse backgrounds, values and opinions helped mold a person by giving one socialization skills to work with later on in life. Connecting and interacting with people, especially in later life had a profound impact on a person’s health, increasing longevity and cognitive health.   Being socially involved at a young age, seems to impact one’s overall well-being as a person ages.