All by myself An exploration of perceptions and experiences of single adults in Ireland
Authors
O’Shaughnessy, Kate
Issue Date
2020
Degree
Higher Diploma in Arts in Psychology
Publisher
Dublin Business School
Rights holder
Rights
Items in Esource are protected by copyright. Previously published items are made available in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher/copyright holder.
Abstract
Despite being the fastest growing demographic in the world, there is a paucity of research on the lives of single people. In a society structured for couples, the goal of this research study is to explore societal perceptions and the real-life experiences of single adults in their thirties, living in Ireland and give a voice to this overlooked minority. A qualitative study was carried out using semi-structured interviews conducted with four participants. A thematic analysis was used to examine the dataset that emerged from these in-depth interviews. Four overarching themes emerged from the data obtained: Perceptions, social comparison, pressure and how singles feel about their own singlehood.