TY - JOUR
T1 - Why people face difficulties in attracting mates
T2 - An investigation of 17 probable predictors of involuntary singlehood
AU - Apostolou, Menelaos
AU - Michaelidou, Elli
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2024/1
Y1 - 2024/1
N2 - People living in contemporary post-industrial societies frequently find themselves being single without wanting so, and the current research aimed to understand the reasons why. In particular, we aimed to examine the effects of 17 probable predictors of involuntary singlehood on a sample of 1432 Greek-speaking participants. For women, we found that poor flirting capacity, poor sexual functioning, high choosiness, and low agreeableness were associated with higher probability to be involuntarily single than in a relationship or married. Moreover, shyness, agreeableness, sexual functioning, and choosiness had indirect effects. In addition, high choosiness was associated with more years being single. For men, poor flirting capacity, higher neuroticism, lower self-perceived mate value, lower self-esteem, and not having children from previous relationships were associated with higher probability to be involuntarily single than in an intimate relationship or married. Furthermore, conscientiousness, sexual functioning, self-perceived looks, and BMI had indirect effects. Additionally, lower mating effort, low self-perceived mate value, and poor flirting capacity were associated with more years being single.
AB - People living in contemporary post-industrial societies frequently find themselves being single without wanting so, and the current research aimed to understand the reasons why. In particular, we aimed to examine the effects of 17 probable predictors of involuntary singlehood on a sample of 1432 Greek-speaking participants. For women, we found that poor flirting capacity, poor sexual functioning, high choosiness, and low agreeableness were associated with higher probability to be involuntarily single than in a relationship or married. Moreover, shyness, agreeableness, sexual functioning, and choosiness had indirect effects. In addition, high choosiness was associated with more years being single. For men, poor flirting capacity, higher neuroticism, lower self-perceived mate value, lower self-esteem, and not having children from previous relationships were associated with higher probability to be involuntarily single than in an intimate relationship or married. Furthermore, conscientiousness, sexual functioning, self-perceived looks, and BMI had indirect effects. Additionally, lower mating effort, low self-perceived mate value, and poor flirting capacity were associated with more years being single.
KW - Flirting
KW - Involuntary singlehood
KW - Mating
KW - Singlehood
KW - Years being single
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85171983338&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.paid.2023.112422
DO - 10.1016/j.paid.2023.112422
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85171983338
SN - 0191-8869
VL - 216
JO - Personality and Individual Differences
JF - Personality and Individual Differences
M1 - 112422
ER -