New research shows how singlehood drives personal growth and happiness

Being single can be a unique and meaningful opportunity for personal growth, according to new research in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 

The theory of self-expansion states that in getting to know another person, you tend to incorporate their ideas and experiences into your own sense of self. Previous studies primarily focused on this concept in the context of romantic relationships, but this new research shows that people can find similar growth in non-romantic relationships as well as in solitude. 

"Many single people maintain their singlehood because it makes them feel like they have the autonomy and freedom to focus on personal goals, like hobbies, their career, and travel," says lead author Elina Moreno, who is a graduate student at the University of Toronto, but conducted this research at Simon Fraser University with Dr. Yuthika Girme as part of the Social-Personality Undergraduate Research mentorship program. "We wondered whether single people who believe that they are able to gain new experiences because of their singlehood status benefit from this mentality." 

Researchers asked single people to report their perceived potential for self-expansion, then monitored their behavior over time. Those who believed that singlehood offers them the opportunity to expand themselves were more likely to engage in novel activities like learning new skills, playing team sports, or dining out with friends. These participants also reported: 

• Less fear of being single 
• More satisfaction with their singlehood 
• Greater feelings of autonomy, competence, and connection to others in their life 
• More happiness overall 

What does this mean for the average single person? Your mentality matters. 

Seizing the opportunity to try new things, meet new people, and develop new hobbies can significantly improve not only the way you feel about being single, but also how you feel about your life in general."

Elina Moreno, graduate student, University of Toronto

Researchers also found that up to 82% of single people leverage non-romantic close relationships, like family or friends, to engage in self-expanding experience. Eighteen percent of participants reported engaging in self-expanding activities in solitude, suggesting that riding solo can also be an opportunity for growth. 

The share of adults in the United States living without a romantic partner has increased in recent years, according to the Pew Research Center. Moreno notes that while some single people desire a romantic relationship, others choose to remain single in order to focus on personal or professional goals. 

The researchers would like to see future studies on this subject test whether single people's beliefs inspire changes in their behavior or if people who are generally happier in life also tend to be more optimistic about singlehood. 

Moreno explains that their team's findings could be misinterpreted as placing singlehood status above romantic relationships as an outlet for self-expansion. What they would like to underscore is that being single can be another opportunity for people to expand their sense of self. 

"If people want to maintain their singlehood, self-expanding experiences could be beneficial for bolstering their well-being over time and providing them with opportunities to get to know themselves," says Moreno. "Alternatively, if a single person is seeking a romantic relationship, they could still make the most of their singlehood and experience personal growth along the way."