People who have been single all their lives may have lower life satisfaction and have different personality traits than those who are partnered, such as being less extroverted, less conscientious and less open to new experiences, according to a new study.
Researchers, including from the University of Bremen, Germany, surveyed more than 77,000 people aged 50 and over in 27 European countries. The study is the first of its kind to look across cultures and at people who have been single all their lives, the researchers said.
The effect of loneliness on the personality
The team found that people who had never been in a serious long-term relationship scored lower on extraversion, openness, and life satisfaction compared to those who were currently single but had lived with a partner or had been married in the past. The researchers say all single people scored lower on these measures compared to people in relationships.
“The analysis showed that lonely people are less extroverted, less conscientious, less open to experiences, and less satisfied with their lives,” the authors write in a study published in the journal Psychological Science. The findings pointed to the need for meaningful networks and ways to create networks that better serve single people.
“If there are differences, they may be particularly important for older adults who face more health problems and financial problems. They need more help, and usually the help is a partner,” said Julia Stern, lead author and senior researcher at the University Bremen. Previous studies have used different definitions of single, with some looking at current status only and others drawing the line at never having been married or living with a partner, the researchers said.
The need for lifelong support networks for single people
However, people who have been in serious relationships in the past — even if they ended — may have different personality traits than those who have never been as committed, they said. Although the study couldn’t definitively decipher whether personality differences are explained by selection — people with a certain personality type are more likely to enter into relationships — or socialization (where long-term relationships can change personality), the researchers said the evidence pointed to the former .
“It’s more likely that you have these selection effects. For example, people who are more extroverted are more likely to have relationships,” she said. In addition, loneliness in a society where marriage is expected can impair life satisfaction. Researchers have found this in countries with higher marriage rates, such as southern European countries.
However, it was found that single women scored higher in life satisfaction compared to single men, while older people tended to be happier with being single than middle-aged people. “There are differences between people who stay single for life and people who enter into partnerships, and to me that means we have to take special care of those people,” Stern said.
She suggested developing new types of loneliness prevention programs that would take these personality traits into account and help older singles meet like-minded people. “If they have people who care for them or look after them regularly, that can help,” she said.
