Latest Match.com Study Shows Dating Rules are Changing

We all recognize that the digital age is changing our lives in many ways, including our social lives. Online dating is a popular way to meet singles, and many people connect via texting and Facebook. What we don't realize is that these capabilities are also changing the way we think about dating.

A recent study conducted by Match.com shows that singles today are challenging old gender and age stereotypes. In a comprehensive survey among 5,000 singles across the nation, researchers inquired about everything from whether or not singles Facebook friend a date to how quickly you can tell whether or not there's chemistry.

Some findings include:

Dating is no longer a waiting game. Over half of women reach out after a date instead of waiting for the guy to call. The majority of men however (68%) will wait one to three days after the date to pick up the phone. So if you want the guy to reach out first ladies, it pays to have a little patience.

Text equals success. About a third of both men and women will text after a successful first date. Of those, almost 60% are between the ages of 21 and 34.

Tradition may apply...sometimes. Women still expect men to make the first move to ask them out, and although 41% of women would offer to pick up the check on a first date, a majority of men (37%) still feel they should foot the bill.

Dating today means quick assessments. Both men and women agree that 15 minutes into the date is long enough to tell if there is chemistry. However, if the date isn't going as planned, only 12% of singles would actually call it a night and leave within the first 30 minutes of the date.

Facebook is a factor. Twenty-six percent of younger singles between the ages of 21-35 think it's perfectly acceptable to add a date as a Facebook friend after 2-3 dates. One out of six think it's fine to friend your new date before the first date ever occurs. On the other hand, 11% of singles between the ages of 35-44 are more cautious and wait to friend a date on Facebook until it becomes an exclusive relationship.

How you dump a date depends on your age. Although 52% of those surveyed agree you should politely explain that you're not interested, 25% of women between the ages of 21-34 will either be evasive about their availability or simply ignore their calls, emails, and texts to signal they are uninterested in another date. Women over 35, however, are more inclined to say directly that they aren't interested.

Conversations still rule. Although 64% of singles are open to having post-date conversations via text and email, more than 80% of singles still prefer conversations on the phone.

Men can be more eager to solidify a new relationship than women. Men are more likely to introduce someone they're interested in to their friends within the first month of dating than women are, regardless of their age group (nearly 50% of men vs. 35% of women).

To find out more about this popular dating site, please read our review of Match.com.