Recalling Prior Experiences With a Close Other Can Fulfill the Need for Social Connection

Abstract

Humans need social connection to thrive, but how we fulfill this need is not well understood. Numerous theoretical perspectives propose that continual positive experiences with a close other fulfill the need for social connection. Despite popular acceptance for this notion, little research has investigated the consequences of having multiple experiences with a close other. As a first step toward this goal, the current studies assessed whether recalling prior experiences of social connection with a close other alters feelings of satisfaction toward the same person, the implications of such feelings for social desires outside of the lab (Study 1), and possible brain mechanisms related to fulfilling the need for social connection (Study 2). Consistent with hypotheses, recalling experiences increased feelings of satisfaction toward the close other, but not toward an acquaintance. Further, recalling prior experiences uniquely increased the desire for additional social interaction with the close other, compared with others in general. In Study 2, brain regions related to satiety—the ventral striatum (VS) and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC)—showed different patterns to recalling prior experiences with a single close other such that VS activity decreased over recalled experiences, while VMPFC activity remained stable. VMPFC activity, but not VS activity, to recalling experiences with a close other was associated with greater feelings of satisfaction. Together, results are consistent with the proposal that positive experiences, particularly with close others, satisfy the need for social connection. Implications for preventing feelings of social disconnection and maintaining social relatonships over time are discussed.