Do you picture loners as being antisocial, self-absorbed, and in a world of their own? New research from Wellesley College dispels that common stereotype and suggests loners can actually be loyal friends and quite amicable when you get to know them. What happens is that people tend to misconstrue their reticent ways for snobbiness, rudeness, or lack of social skills. While some of these people might very well be shy or self-centered not all loners should be characterized as such. Studies show that loners tend to have a much lower need for social acceptance than their more gregarious counterparts. They're perfectly content staying in with a good book than spending the night out on the town -- and they don't apologize for it. Loners still like to make friends, but they tend to maintain only a couple of close friendships. If they could have a universal motto, it would be "depth, not breadth." Thus, they have relatively high standards for friendship, but once th...