A recent meta-study published in Social Psychological and Personality Science of 6,000 single female and male participants aged 18 -75 set out to measure how happy each of the genders feel about being alone versus being partnered up. The authors wanted to contribute to a better understanding of a group often overlooked in favor of studies that typically focused on those who are married/partnered.
Generally, the research revealed that single women are happier then single men. Specifically, women:
- reported greater satisfaction not just with their relationship status but also overall life and sexual experiences.
- expressed less need or desire for romantic partners than men did.
- reported greater contentment around sexual satisfaction than men did
The research suggests that both the unhappy single woman, and the happy single bachelor do not reflect reality. As to the nature of women's singledom happiness and their counterparts discontent the research sugessts that:
- Women may find joy through friendships or social connections,
- Men might lean more heavily on romance for emotional support. Looking forward, this study opens doors toward understanding why such gender distinctions exist.
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Women report greater satisfaction with singlehood than men, study finds
Single women report higher satisfaction with their relationship status, life, and sexual experiences than single men, while also desiring romantic relationships less.
Eric W. Dolan
