Article Happily Single: The Link Between Relationship Status and Well-Being Depends on Avoidance and Approach Social Goals

Although prior research suggests that single people experience lower well-being than those involved in romantic relationships, the effect of relationship status is small. Moreover, relationships can be a source of hurt and conflict, which single people can avoid. The current research examined for whom being involved in a relationship versus being single enhances versus undermines well-being by testing whether social goals moderated the link between relationship status and (1) daily life satisfaction (Study 1, N 187, undergraduate sample) and (2) life satisfaction/well-being across time (Study 2, N 4,024, nationally representative sample). In both studies, single people high in avoidance goals who strive to prevent relationship conflict and disagreements were just as happy as people involved in a relationship. In addition, individuals high in approach goals who strive to enhance relationship closeness experienced greater life satisfaction/well-being but particularly when they were involved in a relationship (Study 2). Keywords avoidance and approach social goals, well-being, relationship status People are single more often and for longer than ever before, at least in Western societies. More and more people are delaying marriage to prioritize personal aspirations (Copen, Daniels, Vespa, & Mosher, 2012). Serial casual relationships are a com