Research Links Singlehood Anxiety to Flexible Dating Choices

A recent study published in Personal Relationships suggests that anticipating an extended period of single life can significantly influence how people view potential partners – even those with traits they previously deemed dealbreakers.

Researchers Val Wongsomboon and Amanda N. Gesselman conducted an experiment with 452 single adults (average age 33.7), asking each participant to identify a trait they considered a top “dealbreaker.” Participants were then shown a scenario in which someone possessing that trait – but whom they found physically attractive – expressed interest in them. Some participants were told that rejecting that person would mean remaining single for at least three or ten years, while others received no such prompt.

The results were telling. Those prompted to imagine prolonged singlehood – whether three or ten years – were substantially more likely to consider dating the hypothetical suitor than those in the control group. The researchers noted there was no significant difference between the short (3-year) and long (10-year) singlehood scenarios, implying that any perceived future period of involuntary singlehood, regardless of duration, increased openness to lowering standards.

Beyond the time dynamic, the study also explored the role of singlehood stigma – negative beliefs about being single – in shaping dating behaviour. Participants who scored higher on a scale of singlehood stigma were more likely to relax their boundaries and consider dating someone despite their dealbreaker trait.