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All the single ladies, put your hands up!
And if you like being single, then don’t put a ring on it because according to a recent study, women are at their most happiest when unattached and childless!
Behavioural scientist, Paul Dolan, revealed that traditional benchmarks, such as marriage and children, were no longer signs of fulfilment and don’t line up with happiness.
“The healthiest and happiest population subgroup are women who never married or had children,” he said when speaking at the Hay Festival in the United Kingdom over the weekend.
According to Mr Dolan, men tended to benefit from marriage because it reduced “risk-taking” behaviours and “calms them down” a bit.
“You earn more money at work, and you live a little longer,” he added.
“As for your calming, un-risky wife? Well, she, on the other hand, has to put up with that, and dies sooner than if she never married.” HA! Maybe we shouldn’t put a ring on it after all?
“We do have some good longitudinal data following the same people over time, but I am going to do a massive disservice to that science and just say: if you’re a man, you should probably get married; if you’re a woman, don’t bother.”
Other studies revealed that married people are happier on average – but it’s more likely due to having a dual income as well as the emotional support of a partner.
Then there is the stigma that comes with being single over a certain age – and honestly – this one is pretty expected.
According to the research, single women may report dissatisfaction due to the constant questioning by others of your life choices – and it’s safe to say, with all that pressure, anyone could go a little mad!
And then there was this finding:
“Married people are happier than other population subgroups, but only when their spouse is in the room when they’re asked how happy they are. When the spouse is not present: f—ing miserable.” HA!
Dolan’s latest book Happy Ever After cites research from the American Time Use Survey and the statistics showed that “unmarried people report ‘lower levels of misery’ than their married counterparts”.
So, if maybe if happiness isn’t on the cards, you could always settle for low levels of misery!
