Geoff MacDonald 🇨🇦
@gmacdonalduoft.bsky.social
I research relationships and singlehood, take pictures, and generally try to understand things. Professor of Psychology at the University of Toronto.
Pinned
I hadn't seen a Relationship Science starter pack so I made one. Please suggest additions or let me know if you have been unfairly tarred with a relationship science brush. go.bsky.app/CyN3fkq
If you've heard that unmarried, childless women are society's happiest group, then you've heard the singlehood meme that won't die. unromanticprof.substack.com/p/the-single...
The Singlehood Meme that Won’t Die
An oft repeated factoid is based on a retracted analysis
unromanticprof.substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 6:14 PM
If you've heard that unmarried, childless women are society's happiest group, then you've heard the singlehood meme that won't die. unromanticprof.substack.com/p/the-single...
Played the role of the research nerd in this discussion of whether it's embarrassing to have a boyfriend. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
BBC Radio 4 - AntiSocial, Are women better off single?
An article about "embarrassing" boyfriends prompts a debate over women's singledom
www.bbc.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Played the role of the research nerd in this discussion of whether it's embarrassing to have a boyfriend. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
Does solitude offer more autonomy than social interaction? A new paper with @elainehoan.bsky.social and @jessiesun.bsky.social says it depends who you're interacting with. Read about it in my most recent substack post (link to paper in comments). unromanticprof.substack.com/p/does-solit...
Does solitude bring freedom?
It depends who you socialize with
unromanticprof.substack.com
November 3, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Does solitude offer more autonomy than social interaction? A new paper with @elainehoan.bsky.social and @jessiesun.bsky.social says it depends who you're interacting with. Read about it in my most recent substack post (link to paper in comments). unromanticprof.substack.com/p/does-solit...
Sombrio Beach, British Columbia.
October 28, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Sombrio Beach, British Columbia.
What do you miss when you focus on social structural accounts of singlehood? Maybe people's own experience. My latest Substack post. unromanticprof.substack.com/p/everyone-h...
Everyone has been single
The strange hole in the middle of singlehood studies
unromanticprof.substack.com
October 27, 2025 at 4:56 PM
What do you miss when you focus on social structural accounts of singlehood? Maybe people's own experience. My latest Substack post. unromanticprof.substack.com/p/everyone-h...
Reposted by Geoff MacDonald 🇨🇦
📊 New research finds people often feel less autonomous during social interactions, but interaction partner matters.
Authors: @elainehoan.bsky.social, @gmacdonalduoft.bsky.social, and @jessiesun.bsky.social
Read more in Social Psychological and Personality Science: ow.ly/sOOO50Xe6Ku
Authors: @elainehoan.bsky.social, @gmacdonalduoft.bsky.social, and @jessiesun.bsky.social
Read more in Social Psychological and Personality Science: ow.ly/sOOO50Xe6Ku
October 17, 2025 at 6:42 PM
📊 New research finds people often feel less autonomous during social interactions, but interaction partner matters.
Authors: @elainehoan.bsky.social, @gmacdonalduoft.bsky.social, and @jessiesun.bsky.social
Read more in Social Psychological and Personality Science: ow.ly/sOOO50Xe6Ku
Authors: @elainehoan.bsky.social, @gmacdonalduoft.bsky.social, and @jessiesun.bsky.social
Read more in Social Psychological and Personality Science: ow.ly/sOOO50Xe6Ku
Is social interaction a tradeoff of autonomy for belonging compared to being alone? New paper by phenom @elainehoan.bsky.social says yes if you're interacting with strangers, no if you're interacting with friends/family. With a romantic partner you gain in both. journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Sage Journals: Discover world-class research
Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.
journals.sagepub.com
October 16, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Is social interaction a tradeoff of autonomy for belonging compared to being alone? New paper by phenom @elainehoan.bsky.social says yes if you're interacting with strangers, no if you're interacting with friends/family. With a romantic partner you gain in both. journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
I received a critique of my work that I found unsatisfying, and in my latest substack post I use research on relationship conflict to try to figure out why. unromanticprof.substack.com/p/a-users-gu...
A User's Guide to Critique in Academia
I disagree that my research is not done with integrity
unromanticprof.substack.com
October 13, 2025 at 4:54 PM
I received a critique of my work that I found unsatisfying, and in my latest substack post I use research on relationship conflict to try to figure out why. unromanticprof.substack.com/p/a-users-gu...
Coverage of MacLab work on transition from singlehood to partnership. www.psypost.org/researchers-...
Researchers studied the shift from singlehood to dating. Three key areas stood out.
Romantic relationships are often assumed to enhance well-being, but evidence for that assumption remains debated. A new study tracked over 3,000 single adults to examine whether entering a romantic re...
www.psypost.org
October 7, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Coverage of MacLab work on transition from singlehood to partnership. www.psypost.org/researchers-...
The story in singlehood studies is that singlism has strong negative effects on well-being. But how good are the data? unromanticprof.substack.com/p/we-dont-kn...
We don't know the impact of singlism
The unknown unknowns in singlehood studies
unromanticprof.substack.com
October 6, 2025 at 5:03 PM
The story in singlehood studies is that singlism has strong negative effects on well-being. But how good are the data? unromanticprof.substack.com/p/we-dont-kn...
In my new substack post I discuss why accusations of "cheater techniques" are bad branding but good science. But what happens when you apply a "cheater technique" analysis to one of singlehood studies' central concepts, the "single at heart"? tinyurl.com/4pty7e2m
Standards of Evidence in Singlehood Studies
On the promise and peril of “cheater techniques”
tinyurl.com
September 29, 2025 at 5:28 PM
In my new substack post I discuss why accusations of "cheater techniques" are bad branding but good science. But what happens when you apply a "cheater technique" analysis to one of singlehood studies' central concepts, the "single at heart"? tinyurl.com/4pty7e2m
New post at The Unromantic on why singlehood studies should not make avoiding "deficit narratives" its only priority. unromanticprof.substack.com/p/how-should...
How should we talk about happy and unhappy singles?
When does avoiding “deficit narratives” turn into toxic positivity?
unromanticprof.substack.com
September 22, 2025 at 1:56 PM
New post at The Unromantic on why singlehood studies should not make avoiding "deficit narratives" its only priority. unromanticprof.substack.com/p/how-should...
Is the idea that getting into a romantic relationship increases well-being a myth? A new MacLab paper says no. And I had so much to say about this work, I started a Substack: The Unromantic. Links for the paper and the Substack in replies.
September 15, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Is the idea that getting into a romantic relationship increases well-being a myth? A new MacLab paper says no. And I had so much to say about this work, I started a Substack: The Unromantic. Links for the paper and the Substack in replies.
Excited to be a part of what should be a very interesting roundtable.
👋 We are running an online roundtable at #APSGlobal on 22 OCT at 5PM EDT. Come join @gmacdonalduoft.bsky.social @ygirme.bsky.social and me to discuss:
"Solitude and Singlehood: Balancing the Need for Autonomy and Social Connection"
Early-bird registration due in 1 week!
#AcademicSky #PsychSciSky
"Solitude and Singlehood: Balancing the Need for Autonomy and Social Connection"
Early-bird registration due in 1 week!
#AcademicSky #PsychSciSky
September 11, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Excited to be a part of what should be a very interesting roundtable.
MacLab in the New York Times: www.nytimes.com/2025/08/24/b...
They Put Off Relationships Until They Earned Enough Money
www.nytimes.com
August 25, 2025 at 1:44 PM
MacLab in the New York Times: www.nytimes.com/2025/08/24/b...
The only other time I followed an account based on name alone was Stone Cold Jane Austen.
August 19, 2025 at 3:05 PM
The only other time I followed an account based on name alone was Stone Cold Jane Austen.
Slightly diminish a band:
The Capable Capable Bosstones
The Capable Capable Bosstones
Slightly diminish a band:
Nine centimeter nails
Nine centimeter nails
Slightly diminish a band:
Jane’s Occasional indulgence
Jane’s Occasional indulgence
August 13, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Slightly diminish a band:
The Capable Capable Bosstones
The Capable Capable Bosstones
Reposted by Geoff MacDonald 🇨🇦
Money can’t buy love - but it might make us more open to it, according to a new study #UofT 💗 uoft.me/bJy
July 28, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Money can’t buy love - but it might make us more open to it, according to a new study #UofT 💗 uoft.me/bJy
Post a GIF of who you wanted to be as a kid!
July 25, 2025 at 1:49 AM
Post a GIF of who you wanted to be as a kid!
Reposted by Geoff MacDonald 🇨🇦
People who pursue romantic relationships because they genuinely want connection and intimacy—not because of pressure or insecurity—are more likely to end up in a relationship. journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Why Do You Want a Romantic Relationship? Individual Differences in Motives for Romantic Relationship Pursuit - Geoff MacDonald, Serena Thapar, William S. Ryan, Joanne M. Chung, Elaine Hoan, Yoobin Par...
Relationship science currently lacks a theoretical approach to capture the variety of motivations potentially underlying the pursuit of romantic relationships. ...
journals.sagepub.com
July 19, 2025 at 12:20 PM
People who pursue romantic relationships because they genuinely want connection and intimacy—not because of pressure or insecurity—are more likely to end up in a relationship. journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Good coverage of our paper on individual differences in motivations for dating.
www.psypost.org
July 18, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Good coverage of our paper on individual differences in motivations for dating.
New MacLab paper. Do people partner up to save on rent? Apparently not.
Money can’t buy love but it might be a necessary first step, psychologists find.
New research by @gmacdonalduoft.bsky.social shows that single people with higher incomes are more likely to want a relationship, think they are ready for one, and start one up.
💙 www.psych.utoronto.ca/news/money-c...
New research by @gmacdonalduoft.bsky.social shows that single people with higher incomes are more likely to want a relationship, think they are ready for one, and start one up.
💙 www.psych.utoronto.ca/news/money-c...
July 8, 2025 at 2:25 PM
New MacLab paper. Do people partner up to save on rent? Apparently not.
Norris Point, Newfoundland
June 20, 2025 at 11:42 AM
Norris Point, Newfoundland
Western Brook Pond, Newfoundland
June 19, 2025 at 12:11 PM
Western Brook Pond, Newfoundland