New study reveals a major perk of being single

Psychologists have extensively studied self-expansion, or the idea that people are wired to want to develop new perspectives, abilities and identities throughout life. Much of that existing research has focused on romantic relationships, with findings showing that a partner can introduce you to new people, interests and ideas.

Researchers set out to see how this concept may apply to single people, in particular. “The lived experiences of single people are understudied despite the rising numbers of folks who are delaying romantic relationships and choosing to remain single instead,” Moreno said.

Across three studies, the researchers measured how strongly single participants believed their relationship status offered them opportunities for expansion and examined how those beliefs affected their experiences and emotional well-being.

Here’s what they found: people with stronger beliefs in singlehood’s potential for growth engaged in more self-expanding activities, from hiking and trying new restaurants to learning skills and playing sports. Those beliefs were also linked to greater satisfaction with singlehood and life overall, less fear of being single and stronger feelings of autonomy, competence and connection to others.

But single people weren’t always engaging in these enriching experiences by themselves. Up to 82% relied on friends and family to join them in these moments of self-expansion – no romantic relationship required.

Why mindset matters

Generally, how you look at a situation can influence how you respond to it. “So much of what we experience and perceive in daily life is influenced by our mindset,” Moreno said. But there’s some nuance to that idea when it comes to this study’s findings.

People who already had higher self-esteem and felt happier about being single were more likely to view singlehood as an opportunity for expansion. Similarly, those who were more anxious about remaining single or felt a romantic relationship was necessary for their happiness were less likely to see that potential.

“The important variable may not simply be whether someone is single, but what being single means to that person,” said psychologist Avigail Lev, director of Bay Area CBT Center, who was not involved in this research.

In the third study, the researchers asked participants to imagine specific scenarios meant to encourage them to see singlehood as an opportunity for growth. They found that this did little to change people’s preconceptions.

“Although people reported engaging in more self-expanding activities and positive mood after our intervention, we were not able to increase people’s singlehood self-expansion potential scores,” Girme said. “This was surprising and highlights that shifting people’s overall mindsets about singlehood may be more challenging than anticipated.”

Other research on singlehood points in a similar direction. One study of lifelong singles found that those who chose to remain single viewed their relationship status as a source of autonomy and self-fulfilment, while those who felt forced into that choice expressed more regret. Another study on young adults found that those who attributed being single to self-enhancing motivations or a lack of interest in relationships reported greater well-being than those who reported “self-defeating” reasons.

One study of lifelong singles found that those who chose to remain single viewed their relationship status as a source of autonomy and self-fulfilment, while those who felt forced into that choice expressed more regret. Photo / 123rf

That distinction is important, said Mandolin Moody, an associate therapist at Gateway to Solutions in New York City who was not part of this research. Singlehood can create room to explore interests and identities independently, but that doesn’t mean everyone experiences it positively, particularly when being single isn’t what they want.

The study series has a few limitations: most participants were young adults, Girme said. People in this group may have more time or social permission to prioritise exploration than older adults who may be juggling more responsibilities. More research is needed to determine whether the findings apply across different stages of life.

Additionally, the well-being boost from solo self-expanding activities – such as an increase in life satisfaction and strong feelings of autonomy and competence – was short-lived. “The research showed that benefits were largely limited to same-day associations rather than indicating prolonged benefits,” Moody said.

How to make singlehood more expansive

Self-expansion doesn’t require booking an expensive bucket-list holiday, for instance. Trying a new hiking trail, sampling a cuisine that’s new to you or joining a pickup pickleball game can count, Girme clarified. What matters is allowing yourself to try something new and step outside your usual routines. Consider the following tips:

Try something new. Take an online class, pick up a new hobby or start learning about new subjects you’ve always been curious about.Get to know yourself better. Journaling can create space to reflect on what interests you and what you’re learning about yourself. “Therapy can be a great resource for enhancing self-discovery and for evaluating belief systems that may be impacting your self-esteem or personal singlehood self-expansion potential,” Moody said.Find new communities. Look for opportunities to meet people who share your interests, whether that’s through a recreational sports team, book club, sewing circle or community garden. Moody recommends staying consistent and open-minded as you build connections outside of romantic ones.Travel solo. “Solo travel is known to be a great opportunity for self-expansion, as it fosters the full exercise of personal freedom, decision-making, self-reliance and socialising outside of your usual environment,” Moody said.

Think of being single as an opportunity to focus more of your time and energy inward, Moody added.

Ultimately, the goal isn’t to decide whether being single or partnered is better than the other, Lev said. “It’s to stop treating singlehood as a state that must be escaped. When we approach it as an opportunity rather than a deficiency, we gain the freedom to use it for exploration, connection and growth, and to become more intentional about who we want to be.”