If you've ever tried justifying a relationship even when you know the person is wrong for you, chances are you're afraid to be alone, according to a new study.
University of Toronto researchers claim fear of being single will lower men and women's standards for a partner. The findings were published in the December issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
"In our results we see men and women having similar concerns about being single, which lead to similar coping behaviours, contradicting the idea that only women struggle with a fear of being single," co-author of the study Geoff MacDonald, Professor at University of Toronto's Department of Psychology, said in a statement. "Loneliness is a painful experience for both men and women, so it's not surprising that the fear of being single seems not to discriminate on the basis of gender."
According to Medical Daily, researchers first 126 women and 27 men using online forums such as Craigslist.org. The participants were given an opportunity to win a $50 gift certificate once they completed the survey.
A total of 38.8 percent of participants reported absolutely "no fear of living life alone." Another 18.4 percent feared they would end up a "spinster" and die alone, while 6.6 percent feared being single now would mean they are doomed to be without a partner at the end of their life.
"Those with stronger fears about being single are willing to settle for less in their relationships," lead author Stephanie Spielmann, postdoctoral researcher in the University of Toronto's Department of Psychology, said in a news release. "Sometimes they stay in relationships they aren't happy in, and sometimes they want to date people who aren't very good for them." She adds, "Now we understand that people's anxieties about being single seem to play a key role in these types of unhealthy relationship behaviours."
Read more about the study here.
