November 17, 2024 at 5:49 PM IST
Research highlights the importance of communication for emotional support, which contributes to life satisfaction and happiness.
At first glance, loneliness seems carefree, moving through life untethered from the turbulence of relationships. However, people in relationships seem to be emotionally richer and happier than single people. Is this a wake-up call for singles?
A study published in Evolutionary Psychological Science delves into the dynamics of emotional health and relationship status, showing that people in relationships have greater life satisfaction. The study, which involved 6,338 participants from 12 culturally diverse countries, found that relationship status plays an important role in shaping emotional well-being. So it’s not a cultural element, but more of a universal trend.
The relationship between emotional well-being and relationships
The study analyzed participants’ relationship status and the relationship with emotional well-being. They divided them according to relationship status, those in relationships, married people and singles, dividing them into three groups: voluntarily singles (those who prefer to be single), involuntarily singles (those who want to be in a relationship but think it’s difficult to get a partner), and singles between relationships. The researchers aimed to assess key aspects of emotional well-being, which include life satisfaction, happiness, and optimism.
After careful examination of the survey responses, it was found that people who are in a relationship have significantly higher levels of positive emotions as well as life satisfaction. They scored high on general emotional well-being. They are happier than single people and spend more time feeling joy than single people. This shows the value of companionship to happiness. Researchers have also highlighted the importance of quality, healthy relationships as a foundation for rich emotional well-being.
Single spectrum
Although all singles collectively scored significantly lower, people who were single by choice or between relationships showed slightly better emotional well-being than those who were involuntarily single but still felt less happy , than those who were in a relationship. Being single by choice reflects a sense of profound inadequacy because it stems from unsatisfied and unfulfilled desires for connection and companionship. While other types of singles are more confident about their choices and relationship status, people who live without choices report the least satisfaction along with poorer emotional health.
