Psychologists say people who love spending time alone aren't necessarily introverts, they may have a stronger sense of autonomy

For some people, spending a Saturday evening alone is not something to complain about. They may enjoy a quiet walk, read a book, watch a film or simply sit with their thoughts. That does not automatically mean they are introverts or that they are avoiding other people. Psychology research suggests there can be another reason behind this comfort with solitude.

Some people may simply have a stronger sense of autonomy, meaning they are more comfortable making choices based on what they genuinely want rather than constantly responding to outside pressure.

Enjoying solitude does not always mean being an introvert

The connection between introversion and enjoying time alone seems fairly obvious, but researchers have found that it is not quite that simple.


A 2022 study published in PLOS ONE looked at how personality traits relate to people's motivation for spending time alone. Researchers Thuy-Vy T. Nguyen, Netta Weinstein and Richard M. Ryan conducted two diary studies involving university students and tracked their experiences with solitude.

The researchers found no evidence in the studies that introversion predicted either a preference for solitude or a person's motivation to spend time alone. Instead, dispositional autonomy was consistently linked with a stronger motivation to enjoy solitude.

That distinction matters because wanting some quiet time and actually enjoying being by yourself are not exactly the same thing.

A strong sense of autonomy can make alone time feel good

Dispositional autonomy basically refers to the ability to regulate your behaviour in a way that feels chosen and genuine. The researchers describe it through three parts: being guided by your own values, taking an interest in your emotional experiences and being less affected by temporary outside pressure.

So, someone who enjoys solitude may be comfortable doing things simply because they find them meaningful. They do not necessarily need another person to approve of the activity or even know that they are doing it.

This can also explain why a person may enjoy being alone but still have a busy social life. They can like friends, parties and conversations while also being perfectly happy when nobody else is around.

For some people, solitude is also a way to reset

There can be other reasons for seeking alone time too. Psychologist Virginia D. Thomas wrote in Psychology Today about highly sensitive people, who can experience social and sensory stimulation more intensely.

Thomas notes that highly sensitive people may use solitude to process information and recover from overstimulation. “HSPs are bombarded with an enormous amount of information coming from multiple directions which the rest of the population is barely paying attention to,” she explains.

In these cases, being alone is less about disliking people and more about getting a break from everything happening around them.

Solitude and loneliness are not the same thing

There is also an important difference between chosen solitude and unwanted isolation. A person can spend hours alone and feel completely content, while another person can be surrounded by friends and still feel lonely.

That is why enjoying your own company should not automatically be treated as a sign that something is wrong. For some people, alone time simply gives them room to think, make their own choices and feel like themselves again.

The research does not suggest that every person who loves solitude has a strong sense of autonomy, either. It points to a more specific link between autonomy and self-determined motivation for solitude, rather than proving that all people who prefer being alone share the same personality.

So if someone regularly chooses a quiet evening over a crowded room, the reason may be much simpler than being an “introvert”. They may just be comfortable in their own company, and comfortable making that choice for themselves.