Why Some Men Give Up on Dating?

Dating is a life long activity whereby the man continually seeks a significant other to share his life and dreams with. This dating activity is a brutal competition whereby a single man must compete against thousands of other men in hopes of finding someone who matches him appropriately. Over years of competition many men may lose heart in the process as well as decision-making abilities of their female interlopers.

Constant rejection and the need for perfection may lead some men to throw off the need for a partner. The process is simply too damaging to the male ego and not worth the pursuit. As men get older they become more established and complacent with single hood.

Common Reasons Why Men Give Up Dating:

Avoiding Rejection: Rejection in relationships is something that is difficult for many people to handle and this can cause avoidance of future relationships. Men and women perceive social interactions differently. Positive attractiveness in males leads to higher sociability while positive attractiveness in females leads to lower sociability (Reis, 1982).

Men who are seen as good looking often are more confident then their counterparts. However, shy men and men who are not so attractive might find that developing relationships can be very difficult. They aren't willing to jump at people with both front feet and must develop these relationships over time.

Women, on the other hand, find out that they are often "used" and "abused" for their good looks. Therefore, such women become skeptical of men and often avoid relationships when possible. This avoidance of men often leads to loneliness and hopelessness in the dating world.

No Such Thing as the Perfect Partner

It is difficult for people to find the "perfect" partner and often find that they must "settle" for someone who is close to what they desire. This settling behavior is avoided by many people who desire perfection out of their partners. They simply can't find the right person so they give up.
Perfectionism can lead to stress (Flett, Hewitt & Dyck, 1989). Perfectionism in relationships can cause stress among men who feel as though they are racing against time which manifests itself in general fear of the "other". Such men often consider themselves to be good partners but don't find anyone equally good to date.

The problem is that such men approach women skeptically. They don't feel women are the sweet and innocent women they were in the past. To them women may have taken on a grosser and more profane existence with women's liberation that causes families to smash apart.

Flett, G., Hewitt, P. & Dyck, D. (1989). Self-oriented perfectionism, neuroticism and anxiety. Personality and Individual Differences, 10 (7).

Reis, H. (1982). Physical attractiveness in social interaction. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 43 (5).