The singles population was the subject of a recent consumer study conducted by the Public Issues and Consumer Programs department of the JCPenney Co. The purpose of the study - Consumer Feedback '85 - was to develop an increased understanding of the various lifestyles of single people and to understand the values that underlie those lifestyles. In addition, the study aimed to identify the changing needs and expectations of singles at home, at work and in the marketplace and to suggest some of the implications of the issues raised.


Retailers, or anyone else in contact with consumers, have an interest in the singles population because of their growing numbers. In 1960, when the marriage rate was particularly high, there were not quite 41 million singles in the U.S. Today there are almost 77 million, approximately 43.1 % of the population.

Singles defined

For purposes of this study, singles are defined as the never-married, the divorced, the widowed and everyone from age 15 who is not now married. While the total number of singles has nearly doubled since 1960, the number in the 25-39 age group has nearly tripled. In this same age group, four times as many singles maintained their own households in 1983 as in 1970.

The large number of singles between the ages of 25-39 are having a profound influence on society. At each stage of development, this baby boom generation has forced the age groups above it and those below it to adjust to its needs. Explained one study participant: "I think that economically our group has been one that has been sought after as far as our wants and needs are concerned. As time goes by, I suspect that will continue to be true. As we grow older, there'll probably be more facilities for older people. I think we probably have more concern because of our numbers."

Because of the large size and influence of the 25-39 year old singles population, the study was limited to this age group and further limited by income. For men, the income parameters were set at $25,000-50,000. For women they were set at $17,000-50,000. The parameters vary because statistically there is a verifiable disparity between the incomes of men and women. This income group controls a large portion of the discretionary income of singles.

Singles reside mainly in metropolitan areas so focus groups were conducted in or near five major cities across the country: Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Separate focus groups were held for single men, single women and single women with children. Twelve focus groups (a total of 100 persons) were involved. Since statistically this study is a small sample, it is meant to surface issues and to suggest implications rather than to provide conclusions.

Education and occupation

All of the participants in the study were at least high school graduates; slightly more than half have a college degree or more. They were generally responsible for their household expenses, with some sharing of that responsibility with another person. The majority of single men and single women had never been married. Except for one widow and one never married, all the single women with children were divorced. Two divorced men were raising their children.

The occupations of the participants varied. Although a number of women were teachers and a number of the men engineers, a female engineer, a female truck driver, a male chef and a male florist were among those included. Some of the other occupations represented were: police officer, Air Force officer, carpet layer, bank officer, financial analyst, personnel director, accountant, nurse, loan underwriter, cartography instructor for the military, clerk, sales representative, paralegal, commercial artist, fine arts painter, F.B.I. fingerprints examiner, computer programmer, masonry contractor, secretary, insurance claims supervisor, physical therapist and dental hygienist.

Lifestyle defined

"Lifestyle" is defined in this study as an expression of a person's self, relationships and career as well as the interaction of his or her roles as an individual, family member, worker, citizen and consumer.

To gather information about people that helps to define their lifestyles, the focus group session technique proved to be a valuable tool. During these sessions, it was immediately evident that the singles were not homogeneous. Not one lifestyle was shared by all the participants yet certain commonalities existed. The following are remarks some participants made concerning the single lifestyle, their varying degree of independence, their life in comparison to their parents and the advantages of being a part of the baby boom:

The participants saw being single as a valid, acceptable lifestyle: "It is not a stigma anymore as it used to be. You had to be married by 25 or that's it. At least they realize now that you don't have to be married to have a productive life."

"I think that now if you are working full-time, you have the option of staying single and supporting yourself and doing a lot of traveling and living your own life."

Independence was seen as a major advantage of being single. The degree of independence, however, was conditioned by the presence of dependent children: "What I enjoy about my life now is the freedom. I can pretty much come and go as I please."

"I'm raising my kids and going to work and wanting to be home with them, doing things with them and still have time for myself. But I have a lot of freedom and I really enjoy myself. I go out a lot and I socialize ... meeting people, taking classes."

The participants felt better off than their parents: "In some ways I'm a lot more independent and adventuresome and non-conforming and much more powerful in the world than my mother was at this age."

"I think my father probably had a more difficult time in those years. For one thing, he didn't have a college education and I do, so you know he didn't have anywhere near the earning power, even in terms of those dollars back then, that I do now."

Being part of the baby boom generation, although it increased the competition in school and for jobs, has its advantages: "One thing I definitely noticed positive about being in that generation is that the world is gearing up for us...."

"It is great because there are more people in our age group. Every time I pick up a newspaper, I say ... we are a large group of people and it is a group that is recognized and has a big voice."

Lifestyle categories

As the participants further discussed what was important in their lives and about their mingling roles as family members, citizens, workers and consumers, it was evident that they did not share a common lifestyle. Even those comparable in age, income, geographical location or education did not have similar responses. Under these circumstances it became even more important to concentrate on the participant's individual comments and to allow them to group themselves accordingly. As a result, three groups of singles with similar lifestyles seemed to emerge. These were: changing singles, focused singles and settled singles.

A review of the responses elicited in the focus group sessions validated the presence of the three lifestyle groups.

Further divisions, however, were recognized. For each basic lifestyle, there were differences in the participant's attitudes about self, relationships and career, creating a total of nine lifestyle variations. These nine lifestyle variations did not have strict boundaries. The importance of the nine types are that they provide a new way of understanding singles and of showing that being single is a multi-faceted way of living.

 

 

The nine lifestyle variations illustrate the point in life at which the singles were when they participated in the focus groups sessions. These singles will not always stay in the same lifestyles. As their lives change, so too their position in that particular lifestyle type. But in the foreseeable future, there will always be singles who fit into the nine lifestyle types.

Below are some comments in reference to the nine lifestyle variations from some of the participants in the changing, focused and settled groups. Their comments refer to views on self, relationships and career:

Changing singles/Self: "I've been single over a year now and basically what I am trying to find out is what I want out of this life."

"Well, I guess I am so busy trying to get my life in order."

Relationships: "I know that I would like to have babies and I do feel a sense of pressure. It didn't hit me until last year when I turned 30 and up until that point I really wasn't thinking about it at all and then all of a sudden I began to think if I want to be a parent, I have got to take steps. "

Career: "I'm changing positions and will probably be changing my living arrangements and location."

"I am in a position now where if I prove to do a good job, I could in fact own a small company of my own, doing the same type of thing I am now doing. "

Focused singles/Self: "I don't like to dedicate myself to my job. I feel my job is important, but there are other things that are more important—freedom, going out, the outdoors, going to the beach, having fun with my friends."

"I categorize my lifestyle as independent, perhaps self-centered, to the point of being somewhat selfish."

Relationships: "I'm very big on family. I enjoy my children very much. And we do a lot together. "

"It is very difficult for a single father to raise children and have a career that is extremely demanding."

Career: "I make a lot of money. I love my job. I travel all the time. I get great benefits."

"To get paid for it and be able to go out and do what I enjoy and be of value to the community, that's why I took the job."

Settled singles/Self: "I just like my independent lifestyle. I like to date the men I want to date. I don't have to go out with anybody if I don't want to and I enjoy going home and being alone a lot of times."

"I am just real happy right now in my life. I am working full-time. And I have the freedom to come and go. And I make my own decisions. And I am able to travel a lot."

Relationships: "Since I've been up here ten years, I've developed a support system, groups of people, male and female, that help me out."

''I really don't bother dating that much. I don't have any real feelings about getting married again. Maybe after my kids grow up and leave. They are 15 and 16 now and my life is basically centered around doing things with them."

Career: "It's going a lot better than I ever hoped for. I've got my own business, plus a full-time job, too."

"I've got a good responsible job, which I enjoy and get paid fairly well. "

Personal choices: On the subject of personal choices, common views and responses arose for each of the three groups of singles on their home environment, clothing and managing finances.

Changing singles/ Home environment: Singles in the changing group tend to see the place where they live as a temporary situation, a place to sleep. Their living space may or. may not be shared. For the most part, the furnishings are basic and the decorating is "hodgepodge." Many of them reported that they do not eat or entertain often at home.

"A mishmash because I've got two roommates and we have crammed in the collection of all our stuff."

"How many meals a week do I prepare? Zero. I never eat there."

Clothing: When the changing singles were describing their work wardrobes, they used such words as "comfortable," "practical," and "versatile." Both men and women spoke of liking to have things that were fashionable and that could be mixed and matched for greater flexibility. Easy upkeep was important, too. For outside work, however, many of them expressed a preference for clothing that was "different."

"My style is conservative blues, browns and grays, things I can mix and match all the time.''

"For my casual clothes, I like fashion.''

Managing finances: Changing singles find it hard to save. When they do, it is probably for such short-term goals as a vacation, a VCR or to make a down payment on a car. They do limited long-term planning and use credit to help their cash flow. Their biggest need is for help with managing their money.

"I try to set aside so much a month, mainly for traveling or some major purchase, like a down payment for a car or to buy a TV."

"I don't have an IRA because if I'm going to put money away, I need it where I can get at it.''

Focused singles/Home environment:  Focused singles are apt to see home as a place to take refuge from the demands of the outside world. They may have a roommate to help with expenses. They care about decorating and have invested in some big ticket items. They eat out often, but they also like to eat and entertain at home with the help of a microwave. They think of their home as stable, but not necessarily permanent. Many are interested in the financial advantages of home ownership.

"At night, I can just sit there with the radio playing and a glass of wine and just relax and unwind. It is my own little world."

"I don't want to put all my money into junk, so I buy quality furniture. That's why I don't have much."

Clothing: Singles who are focused on their careers spend most of their clothing budget on conservative clothes for work. If, however, they wear a uniform to work or some other kind of utilitarian clothing, or if they are focused on themselves, they enjoy dressing up after work.

"I wouldn't think anything of paying $150 for a suit, but during the weekend I just wear jeans and old sweatshirts and such."

"I work with little children so I dress casually for work but I will go out and spend $150 for leisure."

Managing finances: Focused singles are investment oriented, interested in CDs, stocks, money markets, tax-free bonds and real estate. They are also interested in a high return on their investments, in tax shelters and want to learn more about how to manage their finances. They see credit as a convenience. Life insurance was of interest primarily to those who were focused on children.

'Our generation seems to be investment crazy. Especially single women like myself. Lately it's 40-50% women in investment groups."

'I don't always have the cash on me so it is easier for me to charge it. I charge most things and pay off my charges at the end of the month."

Settled singles/Home environment: Many of the settled singles own their own homes which gives them a sense of permanence and security. They take pleasure and pride in decorating and are willing to invest in furniture and furnishings. They eat and entertain often at home.

"As I needed things, I tried to buy things which I thought were of quality and which I'd be comfortable with for a long time."

It's a very friendly place and it's a place where I entertain and my children entertain. "

Clothing: Settled singles tend to plan ahead and to buy an investment wardrobe geared to last. In making their apparel choices, they aim for a balance among classic styling, quality and price.

"I don't mind paying the money if it is something that is going to last a long time."

"I have this mental cost-per-wear thing that I do in my head. I break it down into the number of times I am going to wear this in relation to how much it is going to cost me."

Managing finances: Settled singles are concerned with such long-term goals as owning a home and planning for retirement. They are unsure whether Social Security will be available to them, in view of the predicted drain on the system when the baby boom generation retires. They are conservative investors who want security for themselves and their children. They want financial advice on their long-term investments.

"People that seem to be about our age now are thinking much more about savings because they think there's not going to be anything in Social Security when they are older."

"You're cautious now, you know. I don't want to put $5,000 in the stock market and all of a sudden lose that. I have to think about putting it into something safer."

Career choices: Each of the three types of singles also discussed the subject of career choices. They offered different perspectives concerning their "attitudes toward work" and their "attitudes toward benefits."

Changing singles/ Attitudes toward work: Among singles in the changing lifestyle, attitudes toward work vary. Those who are changing their self-understanding tend to view work as a source of income. For those who are in changing relationships, work is not a primary concern. Many singles, however, are changing careers and are looking for more from the workplace—more opportunity, more money, more satisfaction, more challenge. Some of them talk about wanting to turn their jobs into careers and others want to go into business for themselves.

"I have a secret desire to do something for the arts and the skills I am now developing are toward that."

"It gives you a sense of accomplishment to know that if you start a business, only you can answer for it. Only you can make it work."

Attitudes toward benefits: Changing singles want benefits that have the most direct and immediate applications—medical and dental insurance, vacation time and a company subsidized cafeteria. Company savings plans are apt to be the only savings they have.

"Life insurance is free for me through my company. I wouldn't carry it otherwise.''

"We have a pretty generous leave. It is nice to have."

Focused singles/ Attitudes toward work: Some focused singles are career driven while those who are focused on themselves or on their children may see their jobs as a paycheck, a means to an end. Many of the women with children have more than one job. Some of the focused singles work for themselves.

"I put in a lot of extra hours and a lot of overtime. It makes me feel good knowing that what I'm doing is helping bring me further up the ladder."

"...If I am going to be the sole supporter and provide the way I want to provide, I had to go for the money. "

Attitudes toward benefits: Focused singles want benefits that are financially advantageous, such as medical, dental and life insurance, profit sharing and retirement plans. They use education benefits to advance in their careers. Some of those focused on themselves or their children expressed a desire for more flexible hours.

"I have a tax-free retirement account through my job. I never see it, which is why I have it."

"They paid my books, tuition and everything. I got more money after I took the courses.''

Settled singles/ Attitudes toward work: The settled singles tend to be satisfied with their situation in the workplace. They feel financially secure and find fulfillment and stability in their jobs or careers.

"I feel fulfillment with it and I enjoy going in and talking to people all day ... and knowing that I can help.''

"My job is exasperating at times, but I love the creativity involved. It has given me confidence in my own independence."

Attitudes toward benefits: For settled singles, it is important to have benefits that are financially advantageous in the long run. They want benefits that offer security. including medical, dental and life insurance, profit sharing and retirement plans.

''I have a great retirement plan. My employer puts in 20 % and I'm getting an average 10 1/2% interest on that."

"My company has made improvements in the profit-sharing plan since I have been there. And that is my little security. When I am 65, I’ll retire."