Social Network Pressure on Women and Men to Enter a Romantic Relationship and Fear of Being Single

• Sprecher, Susan ^[1] ; Felmlee, Diane ^[2]
  1. [1] Illinois State University

     Illinois State University

     Township of Normal, Estados Unidos

     
  2. [2] Pennsylvania State University

     Pennsylvania State University

     Borough of State College, Estados Unidos

     
• Localización: Interpersona: An International Journal on Personal Relationships, ISSN-e 1981-6472, Vol. 15, Nº. 2, 2021, págs. 246-261
• Idioma: inglés
• DOI: 10.5964/ijpr.6139
• Enlaces
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• Resumen

  • The romantic dyad is emphasized in society, which leads to the question of whether single (non-partnered) adults in emerging adulthood perceive pressure from their social network members to become partnered. The first purpose of this study was to examine the degree of pressure to enter a relationship that single (unattached) men and women perceive that they receive from two social networks (parents/family and friends) and whether there is a gender difference in this degree of pressure to partner. The second purpose was to examine how social pressure to partner is associated with the fear of being single (FOBS). A sample of 616 single (unpartnered) adults ages 18 to 30, primarily from the U.S., reported some degree of network pressure to enter a relationship on average. Greater pressure to become partnered was perceived from parents/family than from friends. Women scored higher than men on an index of social pressure from parents/family to enter a relationship and also higher on an index measuring FOBS. Social network pressure to enter a relationship was associated with a greater FOBS for both men and women.