Lecture 23: Singlehood

Question 1

global trends in singlehood

Answer 1

• Rates of singlehood are on the rise globally, as more people are delayed entering romantic relationships to focus on other life goals
• More common to enter committed relationships are later ages
• Younger generations’ views on marriage and settling down are shifting
• Higher education and career goals before starting a family
• Alternatives to traditional parenting
• Solo parenting, freezing eggs
• Divorce is increasingly common

Question 2

singlehood in Canada

Answer 2

• Delaying entering committed relationships:
• 1981: 30% people aged 25-29 were single
• 2021: 60% of people aged 25-29 were single
• Rates of living alone, while still low, have doubled in 20 years:
• 1981: 5% of people aged 35-44 reported living alone
• 2021: 10% of people aged 35-44 reported living alone

Question 3

romantic relationships vs. singlehood

Answer 3

• Despite these global trends, decades of research suggests that individuals in romantic relationships are happier than single individuals
• Several meta-analytic and longitudinal studies have found that coupled people report greater well-being and life satisfaction compared to single people
• The majority of relationship science centres around romantic relationships
• Broad understanding of dynamics within romantic relationships, limited understanding of singlehood
• Issue: there is so much variability not being accounted for

Question 4

relationships on a pedestal

Answer 4

• The belief that people need a romantic relationship to truly be happy
• Stems from societal endorsement of romantic relationships
• For both single and coupled individuals: relationships on a pedestal increase fear of being single, which decreases life satisfaction

Question 5

divorce & well-being

Answer 5

• Divorce is a major predictor of poor well-being, with some studies suggesting that the consequences completely outweigh the benefits of marriage
• ~40% divorce rate in Canada

Question 6

legal advantages of marriage

Answer 6

economic & health benefits

Question 7

economic benefits of marriage

Answer 7

• Income tax breaks
• Automatic inheritance rights (even without a will)
• Spousal social security benefits

Question 8

health benefits of marriage

Answer 8

• Shared access to health insurance
• Hospital visitation (ex. COVID-19)
• Right to make medical decisions on behalf of spouse

Question 9

singlism

Answer 9

the stereotyping & stigmatizing of people who are single, and discrimination against them

Question 10

how does singlism manifest?

Answer 10

• Structural inequalities
• Negative stereotypes
• Experiencing pity

Question 11

examples of negative stereotypes against single people

Answer 11

• Housing: perceived as less trustworthy tenant than married people
• Promiscuity: perceive as more likely to carry an STi than coupled people

Question 12

social support or singled-out?

Answer 12

• While singlism and stereotypes about singlehood can manifest through structural and societal discrimination, these are common within close social networks
• Exclusion from social events (ex. Double dates, couples’ nights)
• Pressure to partner and settle down
• Interrogation about dating life
• Single people who have more coupled friends/family in their close network report lower well-being related to their singlehood

Question 13

fear of being single

Answer 13

• The concern, anxiety, or distress regarding the current or prospective experience of being without a romantic partner
• For those people, low quality relationship > no relationship at all
  -Specific to romantic relationships
• Predicts maladaptive behaviours in romantic contexts above and beyond attachment anxiety
• Strong belief that a committed romantic relationship is the most important relationship in adulthood

Question 14

why do people fear being single?

Answer 14

• Loneliness
• Attachment anxiety
• Intimacy needs
• Relationship on a pedestal
• Money
• Societal pressure
• Singleism
• Future alone
• Growing old alone
• Children & family

Question 15

fear of being single predicts

Answer 15

• Settling for less existing romantic relationships
• Being less selective when choosing a new partner
• Longing for an ex-partner
  Increased likelihood of infidelity
• Lower general well-being and negative mental health outcomes when unpartnered

Question 16

is an unsatisfying relationship worth it?

Answer 16

• People high in the fear of being single would rather be in an unfulfilling relationship than be single
• Ironically, low quality relationships are less likely to meet people’s core psychological needs
• Undermines the benefits of social connections

Question 17

intrapersonal factors that contribute to singlehood

Answer 17

• Age
• Attachment style
• Desire for a partner
• Voluntary singlehood
• Gender

Question 18

interpersonal factors contributing to singlehood

Answer 18

• Social support and quality of friendships
• Sexual satisfaction

Question 19

age and singlehood

Answer 19

• Satisfaction with singlehood varies across age groups for a variety of reasons (shifting reasons for wanting a relationship, fertility concerns, availability of potential partners, life priorities)
• In general, desire for a partner is relatively high in young adulthood and seems to peak around the ages of 3-34
• After midlife, these desires decrease and satisfaction with singlehood increases

Question 20

attachment avoidance and singlehood

Answer 20

• Likely to experience poor life outcomes related to singlehood, as they downplay their need for intimacy
• More likely to engage in solitary activities = less social connections
• Solitary coping strategies and lack of social support
• Especially problematic for older individuals
• Higher need for social support
• Post-retirement

Question 21

attachment anxiety and singlehood

Answer 21

• Likely to experience higher fears of being single and to report greater dissatisfaction with singlehood
• Self-fulfilling loop: intense desire for intimacy + maladaptive relational behaviours
• Potential buffer: due to their strong desires for intimacy, these people are more likely to have broad social ties outside of their romantic domain

Question 22

attachment security and singlehood

Answer 22

• Likely to report positive life outcomes, often single due to personal choice
• Personal choice -> not denying themselves of intimacy
• Greater life satisfaction
• Broad social ties
• Attachment needs met through close friends and family
• Stronger non-romantic relationships compared to coupled individuals

Question 23

satisfaction with singlehood vs. life satisfaction

Answer 23

• People high in attachment anxiety tend to report lower life satisfaction and satisfaction with singlehood
• Greater desire for partner
• Secure and avoidant individuals report similar satisfaction with singlehood, but avoidants report lower overall life satisfaction

Question 24

desire for a partner and singlehood

Answer 24

• Single people with a higher desire for a partner tend to experience lower life satisfaction and satisfaction with singlehood
• Interestingly, age moderates this
• Older adults with a higher desire for a relationship report lower life satisfaction than younger individuals with similar relationship desires

Question 25

voluntary vs. involuntary singlehood

Answer 25

• Voluntary single -> greater satisfaction with singlehood
• Associated with feelings of freedom and autonomy related to singlehood
• Less desire for a partner, typically focusing on other life priorities
• Involuntary single -> lower satisfaction with singlehood
• Relationship status is due to external circumstances/out of their control
• Difficulties establishing relationships/feeling that one is at fault

Question 26

does desire for a partner = involuntarily single?

Answer 26

• Voluntary single people may still desire a romantic relationship
• More selective about relationship goals
• Voluntarily turning down unfulfilling prospective partners
• Choosing single status but not refraining from dating activities
  (casual dating, hookups, situationships, etc.)
• Relationship clarity and the benefits of knowing what you want

Question 27

gender and singlehood

Answer 27

• Despite common stereotypes, women are happier being single than men
• Women reporter higher than men on the following:
• Satisfaction with relationship status
• Life satisfaction
• Sexual satisfaction
• Less desire for a partner

Question 28

explanations for gender and singlehood findings

Answer 28

• Women tend to have stronger non-romantic social support
• Heteronormative inequities within heterosexual relationships

Question 29

social support and quality of friendships

Answer 29

• Social support is crucial for well-being in singlehood
• Single individuals with high-quality friendships and family report lower loneliness and higher life satisfaction compared to those with lower quality non-romantic relationships
• Single individuals are typically more invested in their friendships compared to coupled individuals
• Investment predicts higher quality friendships
• Especially important for young adults, when high quality friendships -> self-esteem

Question 30

sexual satisfaction and singlehood

Answer 30

• Singles who are more sexually satisfied report greater well-being in singlehood
• Coupled individuals tend to report having sex more frequently and being more sexually satisfied

Question 31

how do singles meet their sexual needs?

Answer 31

• Solitary sex
• Casual sexual encounters
• Non-committal relationships (ex. situationships)