First results of a new study

„"Singles may have been the inventors of the throwaway society. With the motto 'Try something new every now and then,' they are the ideal consumers of the so-called leisure industry."‚
This is the conclusion reached by the BAT Leisure Research Institute in a recently commissioned pilot study on the leisure activities of singles.
Singles are defined as adults living alone. The study distinguishes between four different basic types. The first group consists of singles who still live alone. This group includes individuals up to about the age of 30 who are not yet career-oriented, are often highly active socially, and have a strong affinity for their parents' home. Typical characteristics of this group also include numerous fleeting contacts and a tendency to change locations frequently.
The second group consists of singles who are living alone again (e.g., after a relationship ended). They are often characterized by significant frustration. In contrast to the first group, they usually exhibit more passive and subdued traits. Those who are single again also rediscover their childhood home and intensify contact with their family.
Singles who live alone by choice are likely less numerous than commonly assumed. They are often characterized by a higher level of education and see themselves as pioneers of new and better ways of life. However, even for these conscious singles, the core problems of the overall group apply. They did not choose their lifestyle entirely voluntarily, and certainly not solely based on rational considerations.
The fourth group consists of people who have become single again due to age. The study by the BAT Leisure Research Institute focused on the first three groups.

The psychological dilemma

Singles often find themselves in a psychological dilemma, especially during their free time. On the one hand, they want to solidify their identity and establish themselves as individuals, but on the other hand, they also enjoy the inner limbo, the advantages of something not yet set in stone. These fluctuations between two poles make single life seem restless, sporadic, fleeting, and sometimes a bit superficial. Naturally, this conflict also influences their behavior.
According to the study, singles are not indiscriminate in their leisure activities, but they revel in the dazzling array of offerings on the market. This applies to products and services in the broadest sense, including restaurants, sports facilities, and travel packages. Offers that contribute to self-expression and make the individual more attractive, interesting, and (seemingly) unique have a chance of success. A striking feature is their penchant for the extravagant and exclusive. "Try something new every now and then" could be the motto of singles. The high frequency of their purchases and activities reflects this.
Unusual hobbies, often with a touch of adventure and exoticism, include motorcycling, flying, hiking through "wild landscapes," canoeing, and so on. These are leisure activities that a family-oriented person can usually only dream of. The chosen sports are often solitary activities that don't require a particular social environment.

Open personality structure

Singles tend – and this applies to all three of the groups studied – to keep their personality structure open, almost fluid. They don't want to draw firm boundaries or definitively define themselves. They prefer to remain anonymous in terms of their character. To maintain structure, form, and concreteness for themselves and others, singles primarily rely on external attributes.
This desire for a polished appearance, however, also has its downsides. The self-absorption of singles, their apparent lack of commitment, contrasts sharply with their loneliness. Many of their hectic activities serve only to escape their own (and often empty) four walls. They lack a close, supportive partner.
The openness of a single person provides the basis for their mobility and flexibility. They essentially have a larger repertoire of behavioral options than a "family person," which they also utilize in practice, i.e., in their leisure activities. Suggestions for alternative leisure activities will certainly find fertile ground here. However, given their constant search for new experiences, they are unlikely to become a "regular customer.".