Single People Who Fear Relationship Dramas Just As Happy As Those In

Researchers at the University of Auckland in New Zealand found that although being in a relationship can provide happiness and a sense of security, “including a baked-in sense of support and a defense against loneliness”, single people are perfectly happy without a romantic partner-in-crime, Entrepreneur reported.

New research suggests that single people are just as happy as those who are in a relationship.

Happiness for people who scored higher on the avoidance scale could be found in a relationship – but that might depend on how well conflict and problems were managed. However, people with “approach social goals” – meaning the actively try to stay engaged in a relationship – are only at their happiest in a relationship.

Not surprisingly, people who have high “approach social goals”, who direct their energy toward promoting intimacy and growth in a relationship, tended to be happier in their relationships and fared much better with a partner than alone. Wait. Isn’t that everyone?

Lead researcher Yuthika Girme, a psychology doctoral candidate, surveyed more than 4000 New Zealanders with “high avoidance social goals”. Well, at least they didn’t say that this group prefers to have drama and conflict in their relationships.

“It’s a well-documented finding that single people tend to be less happy compared to those in a relationship, but that may not be true for everyone”.

Many past studies have revealed that being single often results in unhappiness and loneliness, while having a spouse or lover causes fulfillment. It was also found that those who face emotional phases of relationships were less happy than single people. “Single people also can have satisfying lives”, said Girme in a statement. “You can change”, he added.

The second part of the study, Study 2, was longitudinal, tracking 2,461 women and 1,563 men aged 18 to 94 years over a full year to measure life satisfaction and wellbeing.

Single people may take comfort in knowing that George Washington was correct when he said: “It is better to be alone than in bad company”.

It’s worth mentioning that more than half of American adults are now single.

Ms Girme says the research is important because greater numbers of adults are finding themselves single, through delaying marriage, higher divorce rates and growing numbers of solo parents. Earlier studies have linked being single to lower life satisfaction and poorer physical and psychological health.