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Acute isolation is associated with increased reward seeking and reward learning in human adolescents

L. Tomova,E. Towner,K. Thomas,Lei Zhang,Stefano Palminteri,Sarah-Jayne Blakemore

Published 2025 in Communications Psychology

ABSTRACT

Social connection, a basic human need, is vital during adolescence. How a lack of connection impacts adolescent behaviour is unclear. To address this question, we employed experimental short-term isolation with and without access to virtual social interactions (iso total; iso with media; order counterbalanced, both compared to a separate baseline session). Using computational modelling and linear mixed-effects models, we assessed how isolation impacts self-reported loneliness, reward seeking and reward learning in adolescents (N = 40) aged 16–19 years. Self-reported state loneliness increased as a function of duration of isolation. When participants had access to virtual interactions, they self-reported less state loneliness during isolation. Isolation was associated with faster decisions to exert effort for rewards and improved reward learning. These effects were stronger in participants who reported higher state loneliness following isolation. These results demonstrate that, in adolescents, isolation is associated with higher reward responsiveness, a key driver of motivation and decision-making. This study shows that, following social isolation, adolescents show increased sensitivity to rewards during effort-based decision making and reward learning. Access to virtual social interactions during isolation partially remediates these effects.

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