The State Of Dating In America: Men vs. Women

Men are from Mars. Women are from Venus. Blah, blah, blah...

You've heard plenty about the differences between the sexes. What you may not have heard is any kind of proof to back it up. Are men and women actually that different? Or are we surprisingly similar?

Christian Mingle and JDate came to together to create the State Of Dating In America report, a comprehensive look at the dating habits and attitudes of American singles. Through their survey, they found that men and women tend to hold similar ideas about online dating. Both agree that online dating is a great way to meet people, and that dating online is now socially acceptable.

Women, however, are more likely to know someone who met their partner online, while men are more likely to believe that online dating is safer than meeting in a bar. Men are also more likely to think it's easier to ask someone out online than in-person.

The survey also found that the division between relationship roles based on gender continues to erode. More than half of all singles are not concerned with who makes more money. 2/3 of singles ages 45-59 say it doesn't matter if the man is the breadwinner in the relationship. When it comes to dating, though, men and women seem to be more traditional:

• 2/3 of singles feel the man should pay for the first date.
• Men are more likely than women to feel this way (although 55% of women agree).
• Women are more likely to believe a date should be split.
• 40% of singles also believe the man should pay for the second date. Again, men are more likely to hold this belief.

Men's and women's dating strategies tend to diverge when it comes to considering multiple potential partners. Neither gender is likely to date multiple people at the same time, but women are more likely to contact multiple possible dates. Men, on the other hand, prefer to contact only one person at a time.

The survey also offered this good news to singles with first date anxiety: men and women tend to agree about their preferred first dates. Dinner is the preferred first date for singles regardless of gender, with coffee coming in at a close second. Other popular options include:

• Hanging out with a group of friends
• A movie
• Bar/drinks
• Dancing/a club
• Hiking, biking, or another outdoor activity

What other interesting tidbits does the State Of Dating In America report have in store? Stay tuned for more...

For information on the services which created this study you can check out our JDate review and our Christian Mingle review.