Fear of dying alone drives women AND men into bad relationships

Both sexes lower the relationship bar out of spinsterhood fears

Crazy Cat lady
(Image credit: (Courtesy Shutterstock))

In news that will be completely unsurprising to those who have dated people who spend more time playing Grand Theft Auto than speaking in full sentences, science has confirmed that our fear of being single keeps us in bad relationships.

A study from the University of Toronto recently published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology has found that people often stay in relationships because they are afraid of ending up alone. The more fearful they are, the more likely they are to majorly lower the bar for what they expect in a romantic partner.

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Emily Shire is chief researcher for The Week magazine. She has written about pop culture, religion, and women and gender issues at publications including Slate, The Forward, and Jewcy.