Studies

Photo-focused dating services like Tinder and Grindr are no strangers to stigma. Since day one, conservative singles and media outlets have called them “hookup apps” designed for the desperate, horny, and swipe-obsessed.

But if you’ve been holding off on joining over fears of friends’ ridicule or a chock-a-block casual sex schedule you just can’t keep up with, put those worries to rest. A new study published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences found that the reality of dating apps is far more chaste than its salacious reputation.

Researchers at NTNU examined the "sociosexual orientation" - the degree to which an individual is open to short-term sexual relationships that don’t lead to a committed partnership - of 641 students at the university between the ages of 19 and 29.

Tick, tick, tick… the countdown to the end of February is almost over, the month with Valentine’s Day. Dating services are still in full swing and are still going strong.

Zoosk took the opportunity of the holiday to survey its members about what romance means in 2018. With so many singles now turning to technology to find someone special, dating looks more than a little different than it did in decades past. But are we less romantic as a result? Or is Cupid working his magic just the same as he always has?

After surveying 9,000 members and reviewing data from 750,000 profiles and 200,000 messages, Zoosk has confidently declared that romance is alive and thriving. The study reveals how modern singles express love, which romantic words will get you matches, and which gifts and gestures are sure bets for impressing dates.

Here are a few highlights:

What makes a successful dating profile? Is it a bio that’s just the right mix of braggy and self-effacing? Is it an engaging first message? Is it a gallery of sexy selfies? According to Zoosk, there’s one attractive quality almost everyone can agree on: food.

In a survey of more than 7,000 singles, 3.7 million dating profiles, and over 364 million messages, Zoosk discovered that the way to someone’s heart might really be through their stomach. The survey analyzed how different foods and food-related phrases affect singles’ interactions with each other, offering insight into the unique intersection of food and dating.

Our love of eating, it turns out, does have an impact on how we interact with each other romantically. Simply writing about food in your profile results in an increase in inbound messages. Mention the word “cook” and you could receive 26% more messages from admirers. Call yourself a “foodie” and that number might jump to 82%.

Remember the days of standing in line for coffee and striking up a conversation with the cute girl standing in front of you? And maybe you asked her out on a date? If you are single and living in Britain, you probably don’t.

A recent study found that almost half of British singles have never asked someone out on a date face to face. In fact, the trend of meeting potential dates has moved online, to the point where people prefer having a conversation over text rather than in person where things could get awkward or uncomfortable. Most singles meet eligible dates over dating apps and social media, which means they have little incentive to practice real life face-to-face conversation.

The study was commissioned by U.K. food brand Grace Say Aloe, a manufacturer of beverages. Researchers surveyed 1,500 single adults in the U.K.

Singles may be increasingly willing to split the check on dates, but searching for love remains a pricey endeavor. A coffee here, dinner there, drinks afterwards, a movie on weekends… it all adds up, but to how much?

According to Match.com’s ‘Singles in America’ study, an annual survey of 5,000 singles around the United States, the average unmarried American spent $1,596 on their dating life in 2016. In major cities, that average is higher. In New York City, for instance, it’s $2,069.

The average includes the things you’d expect - the aforementioned bar tabs and dinners - as well as dating site memberships and matchmakers, and entry fees for dating events. It also includes tangential purchases like haircuts, manicures, and new date outfits.

eHarmony CEO Grant Langston Interview

Ask a group of people to describe eHarmony and they would probably paint a similar picture. It’s respected, trusted, and scientific - a service rooted in strong values with a focus on long-term relationships over quickie weekend flings.

In other words, in a sea of swipes, eHarmony is a dating service that takes love seriously. It doesn’t have the built-in emoji of Grindr or the Spotify integration of Tinder, but for the single who’s ready to settle down, it’s a no-nonsense and effective option.

It may come as a surprise, then, to hear that eHarmony’s famously serious service is looking into something decidedly un-serious: humor.