Bachelors: The Psychology of Men Who Haven't Married

An increasing number of Americans marry late or never at all. Today there are more than 3 million men who are at least 40 years old and have never been married. Waehler examines the myths surrounding bachelors, and he shows that stereotypes about never-married men are largely simplistic and inaccurate. Just as it would be impossible to make reliable statements about all people who have chosen to marry, the bachelor caricature falls short of reality. In this book, Waehler describes bachelors' internal processes and interpersonal styles along a continuum with three specific bachelor types: Flexible, Entrenched, and Conflicted. Bachelors is the first and the only book to examine the inner workings of the bachelor mind. Waehler explores the psychology of never-married men and their choices, looking at similarities as well as differences. He looks at their conscious and unconscious psychological profiles, the experience within their families of origin, their relationships with women, their development through adulthood, and their beliefs about marriage. In the end, Waehler establishes patterns that lead to men maintaining their single status with varying degrees of satisfaction. He also provides practical advice on how to come to terms with various bachelor styles, or alternatively, how to successfully move from bachelorhood to marriage. Real life case studies are provided throughout, making this a book for the interested adult as well as researchers and other professionals.

Table of Contents:
Bachelor Stereotypes Men, Marriage, and Mental Health The Bachelor Personality: Core Elements Bachelor Views of Marriage Flexible Bachelors: A Question of Priorities Entrenched Bachelors: The Pattern of Rigidity Conflicted Bachelors: The Problem of Ambivalence Bachelors Four Years Later Options and Choices for Bachelors Bachelors as Dates and Mates Notes for Benefitting from Psychotherapy References Further Reading Index

About the Author :
CHARLES A. WAEHLER is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at The University of Akron, and a psychotherapist with Cornerstone Psychological Services, both in Akron, Ohio.

Review :
.,."the individual stories are interesting...Much of the text deals with advice on how bachelors can lower their guard and get more in touch with their emotions. The book will be of interest primarily to bachelors who are interested in self-help and women who are interested in bachelors."-Publishers Weekly ?...the individual stories are interesting...Much of the text deals with advice on how bachelors can lower their guard and get more in touch with their emotions. The book will be of interest primarily to bachelors who are interested in self-help and women who are interested in bachelors.?-Publishers Weekly ?As Waehler's is a first book, is a corrective to misimpressions, and gives significant others a basis for understanding the mentality of their unmarried male partner, it deserves a wide reading.?-Journal of Social and Personal Relationships ?To be a bachelor over 40 is to be misunderstood and stereotyped. Waehler, a psychotherapist, has written a book that is long overdue. His examination of men in therapy reveals the existence of three bachelor types: 'flexible, ' 'Entrenched, ' and 'Conflicted.' The book's content is structured to give the reader insights into the personality of bachelors and a meaningful description of the types portrayed. Of interest is the inclusion of anecdotes and case histories that follow the men over a four-year period. Much to the credit of the author is his ability to provide information that is usable for men and women in considering the ways in which to enhance relationships. Throughout are suggestions and strategies for change that can be beneficial to the general reading public.?-Choice ..."the individual stories are interesting...Much of the text deals with advice on how bachelors can lower their guard and get more in touch with their emotions. The book will be of interest primarily to bachelors who are interested in self-help and women who are interested in bachelors."-Publishers Weekly "As Waehler's is a first book, is a corrective to misimpressions, and gives significant others a basis for understanding the mentality of their unmarried male partner, it deserves a wide reading."-Journal of Social and Personal Relationships "To be a bachelor over 40 is to be misunderstood and stereotyped. Waehler, a psychotherapist, has written a book that is long overdue. His examination of men in therapy reveals the existence of three bachelor types: 'flexible, ' 'Entrenched, ' and 'Conflicted.' The book's content is structured to give the reader insights into the personality of bachelors and a meaningful description of the types portrayed. Of interest is the inclusion of anecdotes and case histories that follow the men over a four-year period. Much to the credit of the author is his ability to provide information that is usable for men and women in considering the ways in which to enhance relationships. Throughout are suggestions and strategies for change that can be beneficial to the general reading public."-Choice