The proportion of individuals living outside of committed romantic relationships is growing worldwide. Geoff MacDonald, a psychology professor at the University of Toronto, will examine how singles prioritize various life domains in building a happy life in a colloquium entitled “Singlehood and Well-Being,” Thursday, May 12.

“To the extent that singles have received research attention, it has largely been in the context of between-group studies that show a well-being advantage for people in romantic relationships,” Dr. MacDonald says. “Our lab has taken a within-group perspective to examine what kinds of singles are more or less happy.”

In his talk, he will present research exploring how friendships, family relationships, sexual satisfaction, attachment security, age, and desire for a romantic partner relate to well-being for singles.

“Overall,” he says, “I conclude that a portrait of single people who are high in well-being is incomplete but beginning to emerge.”

The event is part of the University of Windsor Psychology Department Colloquium Series and will begin at 4 p.m. on Zoom. Attend here.