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A recent study published in Social Psychological and Personality Science sheds light on gender differences in psychological well-being among single adults. Researchers found that single women reported higher satisfaction with their relationship status, overall life, and sexual experiences while also expressing less desire for a romantic partner compared to single men. These findings challenge societal stereotypes about single women as unhappy and highlight their comparatively positive experiences in singlehood.
The new study was motivated by the growing recognition of singlehood as an important relationship status that has been underrepresented in research. Much of relationship science has focused on the experiences of partnered individuals, leaving gaps in understanding the well-being of singles. Additionally, while gender differences in well-being have been widely documented, little is known about how these differences manifest among single individuals.
Existing societal narratives often paint single women as lonely or unfulfilled while portraying single men as desirable and content. These stereotypes persist despite evidence suggesting that women may generally report higher well-being than men. The researchers aimed to provide a comprehensive examination of gender differences across several well-being indicators.
“There exists many different gendered stereotypes about singlehood, such as the lonely spinster or ‘cat lady’ to describe single women and the ‘eligible bachelor’ stereotype to describe single men,” said study author Elaine Hoan, a PhD student at the University of Toronto and member of the MacDonald Social Psychology Research Lab.
“These stereotypes suggest that single women are having a harder time in singlehood, but it was unclear based on the existing research whether these stereotypes actually hold up when you put it to the test. So, we sought to directly examine how single men and women differed in their happiness in singlehood, if at all.”
To investigate these differences, the researchers pooled data from 10 existing studies conducted between 2020 and 2023. These studies collectively included 5,941 participants who were not in romantic relationships at the time of data collection. The sample was evenly split between men and women, with participants ranging in age from 18 to 75 and an average age of 31.7 years.
Participants completed questionnaires assessing their satisfaction with their current relationship status, overall life satisfaction, sexual satisfaction, and their desire for a romantic partner. These measures were harmonized across the studies to ensure consistency, and the data were analyzed using statistical models that accounted for potential differences across the samples.
The researchers found that single women reported higher satisfaction with their relationship status than single men, suggesting that women, on average, are more content with being single. Women also reported slightly higher overall life satisfaction, aligning with broader research showing that women often report greater well-being than men. Additionally, single men expressed a stronger desire for a romantic partner than single women, indicating that men may feel more motivated to seek out relationships.
“Overall, we found that single women were happier than single men,” Hoan told PsyPost. “This was true across all of our measures, including how satisfied they were with their lives and their singlehood status. We also found that single women reported a lower desire to have a romantic partner.”
When it came to sexual satisfaction, single women again reported greater satisfaction compared to their male counterparts. This contrasts with findings from romantic relationship research, where men often report higher sexual satisfaction.
“The finding that surprised me was that single women reported greater sexual satisfaction than single men,” Hoan said. “Certain theories have argued that women often receive the shorter end of the stick when it comes to sex, as their sexual needs are often deprioritized in bed, but here we actually find that women who are single are enjoying better sex lives.”
The results challenge traditional stereotypes about single women being unhappy or unfulfilled and highlight the nuanced differences in how men and women experience singlehood. The study’s findings suggest that single women may derive more fulfillment from nonromantic sources, such as friendships and social support, and may view singlehood as a rewarding life stage. On the other hand, single men’s stronger desire for a partner may reflect a greater reliance on romantic relationships for well-being.
Future research could investigate the mechanisms underlying these gender differences, such as the role of social support networks or cultural expectations. “I hope to understand exactly why we might be seeing these differences in well-being across men and women to create an ‘ingredient list’ of how to build a better single life for everyone,” Hoan said.
The study, “‘Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves’: Gender Differences in Singles’ Well-Being,” was authored by Elaine Hoan and Geoff MacDonald.
