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Americans are more socially isolated(孤立)than they were 20 years ago, separated by work, commuting and the single life, researchers reported.Nearly a quarter of people surveyed said they had "zero" close friends with whom to discuss personal matters, while more than 50 percent named two or fewer confidants, most often immediate family members.'This is a big social change, and it indicates something that's not good for our society," said Duke University Professor Lynn Smith Lovin, lead author on the study.Smith Lovin's group used data from a national survey of 1,500 American adults that has been ongoing since 1972.She said it indicated people had a surprising drop in the number of close friends since 1985.At that time, Americans most commonly said they had three close friends whom they had known for a long time, saw often, and with whom they shared a number of interests.They were almost as likely to name four or five friends, and the relationships often developed from their neighborhoods or communities.Ties to a close network of friends create a social safety net that is good for society, and for the individual.Research has linked social support and civil participation to a longer life.Smith Lovin said.People were not asked why they had fewer close ties, but Smith Levin said that part of the cause could be that Americans are working more, marrying later, having fewer children, and commuting longer distances.It's one thing to know someone and exchange e-mails with them.It's another thing to say, "Will you give me a ride out of town with all of my possessions and pets? And can I stay with you for a couple or three months?” Smith Lovin said.
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