Not Less Attractive, Here's the Scientific Reason Why Many People Long for

JAKARTA - Many people think that being single for years is due to being less attractive, less cool, or less effort. In fact, a large study actually shows that the reason someone is single for a long time is much more complex. In fact, it often relates to education, mental conditions, and the environment where they live.

Research from the University of Zurich involving more than 17,000 respondents from the UK and Germany found people with higher levels of education tended to be in romantic relationships for longer. Participants were followed from ages 16 to 29, with annual surveys on personality, happiness, and social background.

"Our results show that social factors such as education and psychological factors such as mental well-being play a major role in determining who will enter into a romantic relationship and who will not," said Michael Krämer, lead researcher at the University of Zurich, quoted from the Daily Mail website on Saturday, January 17, 2025.

This study also found that those who still live with their parents are more likely to be single for a long time. In addition, low levels of happiness and dissatisfaction with life make it more difficult for someone to start a relationship.

"People who remain single for too long risk experiencing a decline in life satisfaction and increased feelings of loneliness, especially in their late 20s," said Michael.

Interestingly, men are on average longer single than women. However, this pattern occurs because the longer a person is single, the greater the impact on mental health.

Once someone enters their first relationship, their happiness levels increase drastically. This shows that the single is not because it is not working, but often because of a different phase of life.

"Being overweight for a long time at a young age does have a moderate risk of mental well-being, but once someone is in a relationship, things improve quickly," said Michael.

Another study also found that single people who want to have children are actually more interested in a partner who looks more mature, not the young-faced one.

"Couples who look more mature are considered more emotionally stable and more ready to build a family," said the research team.

This finding breaks the assumption that everyone always wants a young partner. In fact, the age of 30-40 years can be a plus for those who are serious about having a family.