Eighteenth International Conference on Interdisciplinary Social Sciences

Abstract

More people choose to live alone – as a phase in life or for good. Some from choice, others – reluctantly, and this phenomenon is expending worldwide. Our qualitative research study sheds light on the prevailing issue of singlehood and the experiences of this phenomenon for Jewish-Israeli men and women, who are not married and have no children. Israel is an extremely family oriented society, which sees family as its basic unit. It is also a pronatalist society, in which fertility levels are very high relative to other developed countries. As a result, single men and especially single women may face stigmatization because of their relationship status. Single women struggle with images of defected and incomplete and experience heavy pressure from their family and society. Through snowball and purposeful sampling, 23 participants at the ages of 33 to 61 were interviewed to find the reasons the singles suggest for their status. The results from the data analysis indicate four primary themes: (1) High sense of self-efficacy and of significance; (2) Willingness to be free and perceiving romantic relations as restrictive; (3) Fear from closeness, attachment issues and separation anxiety; (4) Lack of experience with long-term relationships. Those singles, especially the older ones, feel need for control over their life and believe it can be obtained alone only. Their quest for significance, their desire to matter, to have dignity and merit respect led them to believe in themselves while seeing an intimate partner as an obstacle.