Online Dating is Not Common Everywhere

It's hardly an exaggeration to say that it seems like everyone is online dating. Until I finally broke down and joined, I was in the minority amongst my friends for not having an online dating profile.

But what seems commonplace here, in America, isn't nearly as common elsewhere. My travels around the world have revealed vastly different attitudes towards relationships and online dating.

In France, for example, a nation famous for being home to one of the most romantic cities in the world, singles take a more spontaneous approach to dating. American and British dating companies have struggled to crack the international market in countries like France, where local attitudes aren't as compatible with the online approach.

Around the world, dating looks very different:

• In Australia... Dating is a relaxed affair. Singles don't ask each other out on formal dates or make romantic gestures. Some Australians find it difficult to date, due to the lack of a formal dating culture. Some even say it's hard to tell when you're out with friends and when you're out with a romantic prospect!
• In Taiwan... The dating culture is much more conservative. Dates meet through friends and typically stick to finding romance within their social circles. Flirting with strangers in bars and clubs is considered odd.
• In China... Tradition is extremely important. Dating isn't about romance and love - it's about practicality. Marriage is expected, and standards are high. Singles' clubs set dates up based on requirements like height, income, and property ownership. Parents gather in parks to pair up their unwed children. Women who aren't married before reaching their late twenties are considered sheng nu - "leftover women." Arranged marriages are banned, but matchmaking is still popular.

To respond to the needs of different countries, online dating sites must tailor their services to the unique customs of each nation. Doing so is no easy task. Significant research is required to determine exactly what appeals to daters of different nationalities. In the U.S., for instance, singles value having similar levels of spirituality as their partners. In Brazil, passion is valued more than religious faith.

As the online dating industry continues to expand its borders, dating sites are forced to keep evolving. The future may be in the work of researchers like Dr. Helen Fisher, an anthropology professor at Rutgers University. Fisher's studies examine the ways testosterone, dopamine, estrogen, and serotonin influence attraction, with the goal of matching compatible partners based on similar or complementary brain chemistry.

And best of all...the work of researchers like Dr. Fisher is applicable anywhere in the world, making dating sites more effective no matter where you go.