Ties That Bind, Places That Matter: Regional Differences In The Link Between Relationship Status And Life Satisfaction - Info and Reading Options

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Considerable research suggests that individuals in romantic relationships tend to experience higher well-being compared to those who are single (Lucas & Dyrenforth, 2005; Luhmann et al., 2012; Purol et al. 2020; Stahnke & Cooley, 2021), often referred to as the “relationship gap” (Oh et al., 2021). This is often seen as evidence of the benefits of romantic relationships (Baumeister & Leary, 1995; Conley et al., 2013). Importantly though, the link between being in a relationship and well-being is not universally consistent, with some studies supporting this link and others not (DePaulo & Morris, 2005). But why do some studies find a relationship gap, while others do not? One potential moderating factor for the relationship gap may be the geographic region in which people live (Stahnke & Cooley, 2021). Past research has indeed shown that the link between relationship status and well-being varies significantly between nations (Lucas & Dyrenforth, 2005; Verbakel, 2012; Wadsworth, 2016). However, the reasons behind this geographic variability remain largely unclear. One potential reason driving geographic variation in the relationship gap may be differences in the prevalence of people in romantic relationships. Generally, individuals tend to experience higher well-being when their personal characteristics align with regional social norms (Diener et al., 2000; Fulmer et al., 2010, Kalmijn, 2010; Soons & Kalmij, 2009). Deviating from these norms can result in social stigma and reduced well-being (Fulmer et al., 2010; Higgins, 2000, 2005; Kristof-Brown et al., 2005). In regions with low relationship rates (i.e., where many people are not in a relationship), single individuals deviate less from the regional sociocultural norm than in regions with high relationship rates (i.e., where many people are in a relationship). As a result, the relationship gap might be more pronounced in regions with high relationship rates, but it may be less pronounced (or even absent or reversed) in regions with low relationship rates. The aim of the present research is to reveal cultural variation in the relationship gap and to test whether this variation can be explained by how common relationships are in different sociocultural contexts. Importantly, unlike previous studies that focused on cross-national comparisons, we will focus on more fine-grained regional variations within a single nation. To do so, we will use a large-scale dataset comprising a total of 588,014 participants from Great Britain. These data provide fine-grained information on participants’ place of residence (i.e., their zip-code). Using this information, we will be able to investigate whether the association between relationship status and life satisfaction varies across different regions within Great Britain. In a first step, we will test the overall relationship gap in Great Britain (i.e., whether partnered individuals report higher well-being on average). In a second step, we will then examine whether the relationship gap varies across regions in Great Britain and whether regional differences in relationship rates can account for this variation. In a third step, we will also explore other regional characteristics such as demographics, political factors, religious indicators, and urbanization (which may also entail indirect messages regarding the prevailing societal norms and beliefs) as potential explanations for cultural variation in the relationship gap.

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