Bumble Study Reveals What Daters Want in 2024
Contributed by: kellyseal on Monday, November 27 2023 @ 10:22 am
Last modified on Monday, November 27 2023 @ 10:49 am
Dating app Bumble conducted a new study to understand what daters are seeking in 2024 and discovered some interesting results, including that they are more open to dating someone older or younger. Also, a majority of daters are trying to be happy with where they are now instead of constantly trying to improve themselves.
According to Mashable, Bumble found that for 63 percent of respondents, age doesn’t matter, including 59 percent of women who say they are more open to dating younger men. About 35 percent of women say they’ve become less judgmental of age gaps in relationships.
There has also been a trend in recent years, especially among younger daters, to prioritize mental health and take steps to “better” oneself - and expect the same from their dates. A key difference now, according to Mashable[*1] , is that a majority of daters – 68 percent - are trying to be happy with who they are now.
While 55 percent of singles say they still feel pressure to constantly look for ways to improve themselves, about 40 percent say that now, they will only date people who don’t try to change them.
Values-based dating was big in 2023, and will continue to be important to singles, especially young daters. They want their dates to care about the same political or cultural issues, but go a step further and actively engage (also called “Val-Core” dating, according to Mashable). One quarter of respondents said it’s key for their partners to be engaged in political and social causes, and women are less open to be with someone who doesn’t share their views. Thirty-three percent said it’s a turnoff to date someone who isn’t aware of current issues.
Emotional intimacy plays an important role for daters, too. About 32 percent believe it’s more important than sex, and more attractive than physical connection. Seventy-eight percent of women said it’s important for their partners to understand emotional intimacy as well as physical intimacy, according to Mashable.
This finding dovetails into how men approach dating. Thirty-one percent said they’ve actively changed their behavior and become more vulnerable with their partners, and one quarter also found that being vulnerable has been positive for their mental health. Thirty-two percent think being open and vulnerable is the most important aspect of a relationship, as opposed to being more “masculine.”
Bumble surveyed 26,800 of its members[*2] around the world to understand how they approach dating and relationships as they head into the new year.