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People living in contemporary post-industrial societies frequently find themselves being single without wanting so, and the current research aimed to understand the reasons why. In particular, we aimed to examine the effects of 17 probable predictors of involuntary singlehood on a sample of 1432 Greek-speaking participants. For women, we found that poor flirting capacity, poor sexual functioning, high choosiness, and low agreeableness were associated with higher probability to be involuntarily single than in a relationship or married. Moreover, shyness, agreeableness, sexual functioning, and choosiness had indirect effects. In addition, high choosiness was associated with more years being single. For men, poor flirting capacity, higher neuroticism, lower self-perceived mate value, lower self-esteem, and not having children from previous relationships were associated with higher probability to be involuntarily single than in an intimate relationship or married. Furthermore, conscientiousness, sexual functioning, self-perceived looks, and BMI had indirect effects. Additionally, lower mating effort, low self-perceived mate value, and poor flirting capacity were associated with more years being single. • Examined the effects of 17 factors on involuntary singlehood • Different factors predicted singlehood differently in men and women. • Flirting capacity was among the most important predictors of involuntary singlehood. • Several factors had an indirect effect predicting involuntary singlehood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The re-development of abandoned industrial areas and city cores characterizes the transition from industrial to post-industrial societies in Western Europe. Shorter-term and project-based urban programs, like the re-developments of waterfronts and station areas, emerged as more sui in response to the consequences of economic, demographic, political and cultural change than long-term, top-down spatial planning. Notably, processes and outcomes of strategic spatial planning vary across European cities and may display unique characteristics. This study compares eleven urban transformations in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland to shed light on the degree to which these programmatic urban transformations have been successful in shifting the urban fabric from an industrial to a post-industrial state. We examine the combinations of factors that, over time, have contributed to a qualitative urban change. Using primary and secondary sources, we perform a Trajectory-Based Qualitative Comparative Analysis (TJ-QCA) to identify recipes for successful urban transitions. Results show that there are two main planning recipes associated with successful urban transformations: either a combination of a high strategic character of the project with a leading role of public actors, or a combination of a high strategic character with brownfield redevelopment. • Compares urban transformations in Germany, Austria and Switzerland to identify under what conditions transformations become successful. • Finds that either a combination of a high strategic character of the project with a leading role of public actors, or a combination of a high strategic character with brownfield redevelopment, are associated with success. • Uses Trajectory-based Qualitative Comparative Analysis, which is a methodological innovation in urban studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Being single that is, not having an intimate partner, is a common state in contemporary post-industrial societies. Singlehood has advantages but also disadvantages that the current research aimed to examine. More specifically, Study 1 employed qualitative research methods on a sample of 238 Greek-speaking participants, and identified 78 possible disadvantages of being single. Studies 2 and 3 employed quantitative research methods on a sample of 1115 (N Study 1 = 592, N Study 2 = 523) Greek-speaking participants, and classified these disadvantages into 10 distinct categories. Participants rated the "Lack of regular and safe sex," the "Lack of tenderness and love," and the "Lack of someone to motivate me to improve myself" to be the most important disadvantages of singlehood. Other important disadvantages included, the "Lack of support," the "Negative emotions," and the "Not having someone to do things together." Moreover, we found that female participants rated the lack of support to be a more important disadvantage than male participants. We also found that, participants who had stronger social support, discounted the disadvantages of singlehood more than participants who had weaker social support. Additionally, participants who considered singlehood as more costly, exercised more mating effort than participants who considered it less costly. • Identified 78 specific and 10 broader disadvantages of being single • Found an inverse relationship between social support and the importance ascribed to the disadvantages of singlehood • Found a positive relationship between how costly singlehood was perceived to be and mating effort [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]