What is it like for single women in NZ? Researchers want to know

The University of Auckland's School of Psychology wants to find out about the world of female Kiwi singledom. Photo / Thinkstock

Are you tired of The Bachelor's fairytale illusions and want people to know the truth about being a single, straight woman in New Zealand?

Well, a team of researchers are keen to hear all about it.

A study to be undertaken at the University of Auckland's School of Psychology will delve inside the world of female Kiwi singledom - and find out what kind of messages shows like The Bachelor send.

The researchers are calling on women aged between 25 and 35 to share their experiences over an anonymous, one-hour interview.

"The Bachelor has taken up quite a bit of space in media entertainment over the past couple of months so we think this research project is timely," Associate Professor Virginia Braun said.

"We hope to hear from women about their diverse experiences of being single, including women who may have a very different perspective than that shown during The Bachelor.

"We want to widen the discussion around what young women's experiences are in the real world, how they navigate singledom in a society that sends some pretty strong messages about what is ideal and what isn't."

Masters student Chelsea Pickens said the research would also look at what messages shows like The Bachelor send to and about young men.

The Bachelorettes all vying for the love of one man in New Zealand's first series of The Bachelor.

"The media in all its forms, including advertising, does send strong messages about being single, about dating, and to a significant degree it also sends messages about couples as an ideal," she said.

"So we would really like to talk to young women themselves and ask them what their experiences have been and how that aligns with some of the presumptions we often make around issues of being single, young and heterosexual."

Data published in 2009 found nearly 22 per cent of New Zealanders aged 26 to 35 were single, compared to 43 per cent in the 18 to 25 bracket.

Across all age groups surveyed, Marlborough had the highest rate of singletons - at 22.7 per cent - compared with Auckland (18.7 per cent) Wellington (20.1 per cent)and Canterbury (18.1 per cent).

The gender breakdown varied, with more single men in the Bay of Plenty and Canterbury regions but more single women in the Auckland, Hawkes Bay, Manawatu-Wanganui, Northland, Otago and Waikato regions.

The new study has ethics approval from The University of Auckland Human Participants Ethics Committee, and is being conducted for a Master's degree.

For women who are interested in finding out more or would like to participate, email: cpic011@aucklanduni.ac.nz