Event: Webinar
Date: Tuesday January 13th, 2026
Time: 6:00pm to 7:00pm EST
Decades of research from across the social sciences show that social connection is a robust and reliable route to greater well-being. While most people turn to their closest friends and family for social connection, we suggest there may be value in considering other contacts as well. Specifically, we focus on reaching out to old friends (i.e., friends we care about but with whom we have lost touch). We will present evidence demonstrating that (i) most people indicate having an “old friend,” (ii) people are reluctant to reach out to old friends, and (iii) reaching out to old friends can lead to greater happiness. Finally, we will conclude by introducing a new scale that captures beliefs on whether friendships can remain despite time apart, and how this concept predicts reaching out to old friends.
About the Speakers
Dr. Lara Aknin:
Dr. Lara Aknin is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Psychology at Simon Fraser University. She is also an Editor of the World Happiness Report, a former Fellow with the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, and recent Chair of The Lancet’s COVID-19 Mental Health Task Force. She holds a PhD in Social Psychology from the University of British Columbia. Dr. Aknin is internationally recognized for her empirical research examining the predictors and consequences of human generosity, social connection, and happiness. Her active, high-quality, and influential line of research has attracted widespread attention within academia and at-large.
Kristina Castaneto:
Kristina Castaneto is a PhD student working alongside Dr. Lara Aknin in the Helping and Happiness Lab at Simon Fraser University. Kristina graduated with distinction at Douglas College where she earned her B.A. (Hons.) in Applied Psychology with specializations in Pre-counselling, and Disability in Applied Behaviour Analysis. To date, Kristina has examined the predictors and consequences of reaching out to “old friends” — friends we care about but with whom we’ve lost touch. Currently, Kristina’s PhD work focuses on the scale development and validation of a new construct called “friendship resiliency.” Kristina is particularly interested in delving further into this construct’s nomological network and identifying links to social connection and wellbeing, especially in the context of reaching out to old friends.
