Posted January 23, Reviewed by Lybi Ma. We have all run into a friend or co-worker in a social setting without his or her partner. Not necessarily behaving inappropriately, but certainly proactive about meeting new people, seemingly single. Yet whether flirting , being friendly, or simply having fun, some settings uniquely set the scene for the sensation of singlehood.
From public pronouncements to dating platform descriptions, singles self-identify. But especially within the throes of a new relationship, couplehood can be a matter of perspective. How many dates create commitment? Some singles answer that question by deleting their online dating profile, effectively removing themselves from the dating market. Others showcase their new status by going Facebook official with their new paramour.
But even when couplehood has arrived, there are circumstances where partners feel single again. Jayda P. Felder and Laura V. They explain that for many people, perceived relationship status and actual relationship status do not always align.
Studying participants reporting perceived status across 27 hypothetical scenarios, they found considerable variation for every scenario, indicating a distinction between perceived relationship status and actual relationship status that is influenced by context.
Context can be situational, or relational. Regarding relational status and perceived singlehood, Felder and Machia note that singles within the throes of budding relationships may feel "more partnered" as they continue to date their new love interest while devaluing relational alternatives, while a partnered individual in an unfulfilling relationship may feel progressively "more single" as they head towards a breakup and become increasingly receptive to potential new partners. But social context matters also.
