Compared to our grandparents’ generation, people nowadays are marrying less frequently, experiencing higher rates of divorce, and often choosing to have children later in life. At the same time, people nowadays seem to accept and practice more diverse forms of relationships, such as unmarried partnerships, cohabitation without marriage, and extended periods of singlehood (Tillman et al., 2019). It almost seems as if single life has become more socially acceptable. But have singles also become more satisfied as a result of these changes?

A recently published study by Gonzalez Avilés et al. (2024) addressed this question and investigated whether singles today are more satisfied with their single life. The research team analyzed data from 2,936 participants of various birth cohorts in a large-scale representative study conducted in Germany. This study has been surveying people annually about their family, relationships, and singlehood since 2008. By examining data from two distinct periods—2008........

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