From Leonardo DiCaprio, 50, to Zac Efron, 37, many of the most eligible men in Hollywood are classed as ‘mid-life bachelors’.
These ageing lotharios refuse to give up the freedom, attention, and excitement of their youth.
And, while they’ve had several relationships, they’ve never said ‘I do’.
Now, scientists have poured cold water on the mid-life bachelor stereotype.
Rather than enjoying their freedom, scientists from the University of Toronto say that most single men are really unhappy – as well as sexually unfulfilled.
In stark contrast, single women tend to be happy in their single status, as well as the quality of their sex lives.
‘Overall, single women appear to be higher in their overall well-being compared to men,’ the researchers wrote in their study, published in Social Psychological and Personality Science.
‘At a broader level, our findings appear to run counter to existing stereotypes regarding women as the uniquely unhappy gender in singlehood.’
From Leonardo DiCaprio to Zac Efron, many of the most eligible men in Hollywood are classed as ‘mid-life bachelors’
In popular culture, single women are often depicted as sad spinsters, while single men are cool bachelors.
For example, in the Bridget Jones franchise, the titular character is seen as sad and lonely, while her single boss, Daniel Cleaver, is a charming womaniser.
In their new study, the researchers set out to understand the experiences of single men and women in the real world.
The team enlisted 5,941 participants, who were surveyed on their relationship status satisfaction, life satisfaction, sexual satisfaction, and desire for a partner.
Overall, the researchers found that women fared better on their own than men.
The female respondents were happier with their single status, the quality of their lives, and the quality of their sex lives than the male respondents.
What’s more, they desired a partner less.
Delving deeper into the findings, the researchers found that age and ethnicity appear to play key roles.
In popular culture, single women are often depicted as sad spinsters, while single men are cool bachelors. For example, in the Bridget Jones franchise, the titular character is seen as sad and lonely, while her single boss, Daniel Cleaver, is a charming womaniser
Older single men reported lower life satisfaction and lower sexual satisfaction than younger single men.
Meanwhile, single Black women had a higher desire for a partner than single white women.
Overall, the researchers suggest that men fear singledom more than women do, and that they struggle to navigate the expectations of traditional masculinity.
Elaine Hoan, lead author of the study, said: ‘There’s the notion that to really “be a man,” you must be the type that “gets girls”—it’s a sign of status.
‘But in the early stages of dating, men typically have a more difficult time obtaining a partner and therefore accessing sex.’
As for why single women are happier, the researchers suggest that women tend to have stronger social support beyond romantic relationships.
‘Notably, single women in particular are more likely to report satisfaction with social support compared to single men,’ the researchers wrote.
The researchers hope the findings will help to bust the myth of the sad single spinster and the happy mid-life bachelor.
‘Our study advances existing work to clarify the role of gender in singles’ well-being and provide future directions for understanding gender among the growing population of singles,’ they concluded.
