Why Are Gen Z Women Choosing To Stay Single In 2025? Here's What A Psychology Research Says

The romantic landscape is shifting, and Gen Z women are at the helm of this revolution. In 2025, choosing to be single is less about a lack of opportunity and more about a deliberate, empowering choice. This generation, born roughly between 1997 and 2012, is redefining life milestones, prioritising self-growth, and demanding a higher standard for partnership.

The most compelling evidence for this cultural phenomenon comes from psychological research that examines this shift across different cohorts.

The Psychological Core: Contentment in Solitude

A German cohort-sequential study of young adults, published in the peer-reviewed journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, provides a crucial psychological anchor for this trend. The research found that today’s adolescents—specifically those born in the early 2000s, who are now emerging Gen Z adults—exhibit two key psychological differences from previous generations at the same age:

1. Lower Romantic Desire: They showed a reduced inclination to actively seek out or pursue a romantic relationship.

2. Increased Singlehood Satisfaction: Crucially, they reported being more satisfied with their single status than their counterparts were a decade ago.

This is not a generation passively waiting for love; they are actively content in their unattached status, a sentiment that dismantles the traditional narrative that singlehood equals failure or loneliness. The contentment stems from a few intertwined psychological and social factors.

1. Prioritising Autonomy Over Intimacy

The research suggests that autonomy is the new gold standard for Gen Z. In a world characterised by economic precarity and constant change, young women are focusing on building a stable foundation for themselves.

Psychologists note that this generation is highly individualistic and places a premium on personal growth and self-discovery. Being in a relationship requires compromise, which Gen Z women appear less willing to make if it means sacrificing career aspirations, educational goals, or financial independence. They are watering their own roots before blooming, choosing to invest in themselves first.

2. Averting "Heteropessimism" and Emotional Labour

For many young women, the decision to stay single is a pragmatic response to persistent gender inequalities in relationships. Research indicates a growing sense of "heteropessimism"—a cultural weariness and disenchantment with heterosexual relationships.

Gen Z women, often defined by their high awareness of feminist and social issues, are acutely sensitive to the unequal distribution of emotional and domestic labour that often characterises traditional pairings. They are rejecting the model where a partner's success comes at the expense of their own well-being. By choosing singlehood, they are taking control of their emotional space and sidestepping the risk of "reckless relationships" or being involved in "toxic behaviour" that is frequently discussed across digital platforms.

3. Diminishing Social Stigma

The decline of the stigma surrounding single life has granted Gen Z women unprecedented freedom. For older generations, singlehood, especially for women in their 20s and 30s, could feel like a deviation from a fixed life script. Today, thanks to a broader acceptance of diverse relationship models—from non-monogamy to being childfree by choice (DINKs)—that pressure has evaporated.

The Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin study highlights that in modern, Western industrialised countries, singlehood is simply "no longer unconventional." This societal normalisation means that Gen Z women can make their relationship decisions based on internal desire rather than external societal judgment.

4. The Eudaimonic Pursuit of Well-Being

Beyond avoiding problems, Gen Z women are actively seeking a higher quality of life. Psychological studies show a strong Gen Z inclination toward eudaimonic well-being, which means prioritising meaningful, non-materialistic pursuits over simple hedonic (pleasure-seeking) desires.

This manifests in their personal lives as:

• Prioritising Mental Health: Openly discussing mental health needs and seeking partners who align with this holistic well-being approach.

• Intentionality: Choosing to wait for a genuine connection rather than rushing into a relationship out of fear of loneliness.

• Focus on Experience: Prioritising travel, financial stability (saving and investing are high priorities), and enjoying their youth before settling down. 

By demanding authenticity, emotional maturity, and a genuine complement to the "queendom" they've already built, Gen Z women are elevating the standard for partnership. The choice to be single in 2025 is not a compromise; it's a powerful statement of self-worth and intentional living.