Studies

The yearly German festival of drinking and debauchery known as Oktoberfest arrived last month again. For most revelers, that means giant pretzels, women in dirndls, liter-sized mugs of beer, and nights they will never remember. For Zoosk, that means an opportunity for another study.

Zoosk surveyed more than 2,800 single beer drinkers in hopes of discovering what their beer choices say about their dating preferences and personalities. As it turns out, the types of beer you and your date prefer might actually offer clues about your compatibility:

• If you're looking to settle down soon, hope your date orders a domestic beer. Domestic beer drinkers are most likely to be looking for marriage (20%). They are also more likely to be traditional when it comes to dating, so expect them to go the dinner-and-a-movie route and don't overwhelm them with public displays of affection.
• If you're not ready to settle down, look for a date who is into microbrews. 31% of men who opt for microbrews say they're in the market for fun, but nothing long-term. Unsurprisingly, then, microbrew drinkers are the most likely to have had a one night stand (74%) and to want physical intimacy every day (54%). They're also the most likely to prefer an outdoor adventure for a first date.
• If stability is what you're looking for, find an ultra-light beer drinker. Singles who count their calories prefer romantic evenings spent sharing their hopes, dreams, and goals for the future. They have the highest percentage of long-term relationships on average, at 75%. They are also the most likely to refer to themselves as homebodies (37%).
• If you'd like an introvert in your life, choose an import drinker. They're the least likely to have a one night stand and the most likely, on average, to be a virgin (4%). Reserved import drinkers prefer dogs to cats where pets are concerned and say they often spend time daydreaming about their next vacation.
• If you need a family-friendly date, a light beer drinker is the one for you. 92% of light beer fans say they're open to dating someone with kids, and 64% say they like to spend their free time with family and friends. Light beer drinkers are second only to ultra-light drinkers when it comes to success in lasting relationships.

I guess your brew of choice says a whole lot more about you than just your taste in beer. No word on what happens if your date orders wine instead...

First dates can be tough. When you're meeting someone for the first time, it's typical to feel nervous and self-conscious, especially when you are trying to think of things to say to keep the conversation going. Do you wonder sometimes if it would make things easier to ask a couple of friends along and take the pressure off of you?

According to a new study by DatingAdvice.com, you're not alone in that thought. Twenty percent of those surveyed said they would rather go on a first date in a group than meet someone one-on-one.

Surprisingly, women seem to be embracing this concept more than men. The results show that they were twice as likely as men to prefer a group date for a first date.

Seniors were also more excited about the concept of a group first date, even more so than their younger counterparts. Twenty-four percent of those 65 and older said they would prefer it, compared to only 15% of those aged 25 to 34. Perhaps because group dating seems easier if you're jumping back into the dating pool for the first time after a divorce, rather than figuring out how to go it alone. However, 21% of 18 to 24 year-olds said they would rather go on a group date, which seems to be more typical among college students.

Asian-Americans were the most enthusiastic of the concept compared to other ethnicities, with more than 25% preferring a group date for the first date, compared with only 12% of African-Americans, the group least excited about the idea.

Income also seemed to play a factor. According to survey results, people with higher incomes (between $100,000 and $124,000 annually) preferred group dates, compared with those making $25,000 to $49,999 per year who were 54% less likely to want a group date.

Gay men and women were among the least likely groups to prefer group dates for first dates, at least three times less than heterosexuals.

The study posed an interesting question, because the group date seems to be gaining popularity, or at least the concept of it. Many people, especially those who are below 25 or above 65, seem to be less comfortable with the idea of meeting someone one-on-one for the first time. Maybe it's because they feel they don't have the skills or experience to have a good first date, or maybe it helps take the pressure off when you're trying to create a new life for yourself.

The study surveyed 1,080 participants across America, balancing age, race, gender, etc. according to the general population.

Many of us agree that we can't live without our smartphones. It can even be addictive to check texts, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter through a handheld device which travels everywhere we go. No matter where we are, we are not alone. Our smartphones are by our sides.

According to a recent study conducted by JDate and ChristianMingle.com, our smartphone obsession has affected our dating behavior, too. Their report entitled Mobile's Impact on Dating and Relationships is based on an in-depth survey of 1,500 singles regarding their smartphone habits, and reveals an increased dependence on technology and expectations around how people prefer to communicate.

The study found that 55% of singles feel their mobile devices are making it easier to meet and get to know people for dating. A majority of 64% say that the quality of relationships with those they are dating has improved thanks to mobile technology.

Respondents also felt that it's less intimidating to ask someone on a date via text than by making a phone call. About 31 percent of men and 33% of women agreed, although respondents over the age of 43 said they prefer to ask someone out by phone instead of text. More men than women (44% compared to 37%) believe it's easier to flirt and get to know someone via text.

If you've had a good date, the majority of men and women say it doesn't matter who initiates contact, but it does matter how long it takes to respond. Forty-six percent of singles have become upset with someone they are dating over their text response time, with more women (52 percent) getting upset than men (40 percent). Seventy-eight percent of singles say they want to communicate within 24 hours after a first date, so goodbye three-date rule!

Daters are getting better about phone etiquette while on a date. Ninety-six percent keep their phones out of sight during a date, but beware if you excuse yourself to go to the bathroom - your date is probably checking her phone (or maybe posting a tweet or status update about your date)! Sixty-seven percent said they find a way to sneak a peek at their phones during a date.

It seems that our smartphone addiction is growing and won't be going away anytime soon. The study found that nearly 20% of all singles not only keep their phones on when they go to sleep, but also in bed with them.

Mobile technology has changed the way we date, as well as our expectations and accessibility. Sometimes though, it's okay to shut your phone off. Your date will appreciate it.

We first saw them in online dating profiles - photos that people took of themselves while standing in front of bathroom mirrors. Now technology has advanced and the practice has spread. People can view themselves on their smartphone screens, then pose, shoot, and post pictures to Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter within seconds.

Such pictures are called "selfies," and they've become a polarizing subject among social media users. According to a recent study out of the UK, posting selfies can have a negative impact on your relationships.

The UK research team evaluated people's posting habits, particularly in regard to self photographs, and if the practice could potentially affect how others view them. Since Facebook pages typically include a wide range of people - from friends to family to work colleagues to acquaintances and high school classmates - how they view profiles varies greatly. Selfies were considered the worst type of pictures to post in terms of what people prefer to see.

In addition, posting too many selfies were found to hurt romantic relationships, too. Researchers found that users who posted selfies were more likely to report feeling less supported by their relationship partners. In the majority of these cases, their partners tended to post pictures of families and family events. Researchers reasoned that the difference between the types of photos people posted could explain why one person in the relationship feels less supported than the other.

Based on the finding of the study, researchers agreed that it would be a good idea to talk about your social media practices before entering into a relationship. If you tend to take selfies and it turns your partner off, it could be a source of conflict as the relationship progresses.

Good communication is the foundation of a good relationship, even your online communication with your circle of friends and family. If you're posting a lot of selfies on Facebook and Instagram, others could conclude that you want a lot of attention and it turns them off. Your partner might feel that you'll dish about your relationship, the good and the bad, which is nobody else's business. Others might get annoyed at your posts clogging up their Facebook feeds.

Whatever the case, too many self photographs are a definite turn-off among users of social media according to the study, and often they can detract from a relationship. Instead of turning inward and posting on social media, talk to your partner if you're not getting what you need. Work on your relationship together, offline.

Have you always envisioned the perfect guy to romance you with grand gestures like exotic trips, expensive jewelry or dinners at fancy restaurants?

Turns out, most singles would rather you have a savings account and a 401K.

According to a recent study from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business, savers are viewed as more attractive dating material than spenders. Researchers gathered existing studies and conducted a series of experiments asking participants to rate the desirability of different dates. They concluded that as long as the urge to save isn't extreme, the perception is that savers possess greater self-control, which increases their romantic attractiveness.

And saving habits are thought to lead to other good disciplinary practices as well, like working out and eating healthily, according to the study. So daters who care about saving money might be perceived as better looking and more physically attractive, too.

Researchers were quick to note the context in which they conducted the study, since the economic climate in the U.S. has been depressed compared to before the recession began in 2008. This could affect the priorities of singles, who are looking for someone who is more cautious and less flagrant when it comes to trying to impress a date.

The study notes that: "We observed this pattern in the shadow of the Great Recession, a time in which people who chronically spend may be viewed as especially irresponsible. Whether savers continue to be preferred in times of economic abundance (when active saving is less necessary for financial survival) is an important open question."

This isn't the first bit of news to tie economics to dating preferences. An article in the New York Times earlier this year noted that a person's credit score is a very important factor in deciding whether or not to date someone. "Credit scores are like the dating equivalent of a sexually transmitted disease test," said Manisha Thakor, the founder and chief executive of MoneyZen Wealth Management, in the Times article. "It's a shorthand way to get a sense of someone's financial past the same way an S.T.D. test gives some information about a person's sexual past."

And a survey last fall found that more than 25% of adult daters have used a coupon on a first date, and 73% of those surveyed said they would continue to date a coupon clipper.

It seems most daters are on board with saving pennies, so there's no need to impress him or her with over the top gifts or gestures. Impress her with your credit score instead.

If I had my way, every day would be International Kissing Day.

But seeing as I have not yet used my Pinky and the Brain-like powers to take over the world, we're stuck with International Kissing Day happening only once a year.

To celebrate this year's event, Zoosk surveyed more than 3,500 singles around the U.S. to gather their thoughts on kissing. You may never have been curious about the most memorable kisses in pop culture, the best kissing spots around the country, and the most popular songs to kiss to, but you're about to find out what they are anyway.

The top three songs to kiss to are...

1. 21% of singles say "Could I Have This Kiss Forever" by Whitney Houston & Enrique Iglesias is the best song to kiss to.
2. 17% of singles choose "A Kiss From A Rose" by Seal.
3. 12% of singles choose "Blow Me One Last Kiss" by Pink.

[Ok, I do kinda have a soft spot for that last one, but...really? Have any of those Zooskers actually listened to the song? It's about a breakup. An ugly one. Not exactly the most romantic choice for a makeout soundtrack...]

The most memorable on-screen lip locks of the summer are marginally better chosen:

1. 41% of singles say Tony and Pepper's kiss in "Iron Man 3" was the most memorable of this summer's blockbuster flicks.
2. 23% of singles say Spock and Uhura in "Star Trek Into Darkness."
3. 21% of singles say Alan and Cassie in "The Hangover III" shared this summer's most memorable on-screen kiss.

The places singles most like to get their smooch on are:

1. The beach: 30%.
2. In a car: 23%
3. In front of a roaring fireplace: 15%
4. On a carriage ride in New York's Central Park: 14%

[I have a lot of questions and concerns here, but...I won't go there.]

And finally, Zoosk collected a few random kissing facts (in case the first three weren't random enough already):

1. 73% of singles say they dated someone who was a bad kisser.
2. 77% of singles say they have rubbed noses, Eskimo style, to show affection.
3. 83% of singles prefer to kiss with their eyes closed.
4. 59% of singles say the most memorable kiss in recent political history was President Obama kissing his wife on election night (soundly beating the famous passionate kiss Al Gore gave his wife Tipper at the Democratic National Convention).
5. 71% of Americans say it is more awkward to see world leaders kissing vs. watching a politician kiss his or her spouse.