Fear of Relationship Commitment and Singlehood

Abstract

Not having an intimate partner is a common state in contemporary post-industrial societies. One reason that individuals report for being single is their fear of relationship commitment. The objective of the current research was to investigate the factors that are associated with the fear of relationship commitment and how this fear is associated with singlehood. In a sample of 453 Turkish-speaking participants, we found that lower levels of agreeableness, openness, mating performance, and relationship quality were associated with a higher fear of relationship commitment. Moreover, a higher fear of relationship commitment was linked to a greater likelihood of being single compared to being in an intimate relationship. Additionally, we found that lower levels of self-esteem, extraversion, and openness were associated with reduced mating performance, which, in turn, was associated with a higher fear of relationship commitment and a higher probability of being single compared to being in an intimate relationship.