But the point I was getting at is that perhaps having a wider network of connections - larger than just your immediate family - would be a better buffer against

But the point I was getting at is that perhaps having a wider network of connections - larger than just your immediate family - would be a better buffer against loneliness. In societies with more dense familial/societal networks people just have more people around. Imagine if you lived in a town with half of your extended family. Say 4 aunts and uncles and 30 cousins (of different degrees 1st, 2nd etc). You'd know more immediate family but also they'd know people who you would have gotten to know. If you lost contact with parents or a spouse you wouldn't end up knowing nobody. You would have a rich network to fall back on. Now there are issues with this. You might not like everyone and everyone might know your business, which is annoying - but you'd probably suffer from less loneliness.