Communication

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.

Elvis sang, “A little less conversation, a little more action please.” But according to a recent survey from Plenty of Fish, today’s singles are looking for exactly the opposite.

Conversation Nation, the largest study ever conducted on the subject, asked more than 2,000 singles across the United States to weigh in on the importance of conversation in the search for love. Sixty-five percent called conversation a lost art, yet a whopping 90 percent of singles surveyed said they would rather talk all night on a first date than have sex all night.

An increased dependency on social media and digital devices has changed the dating landscape forever. Now, instead of locking eyes from across the room and timidly saying “Hi,” many singles are starting relationships by swiping right and sending strings of emojis. Sixty-one percent of singles believe the rise in technology usage has impacted our ability to have meaningful, face-to-face conversations.

Despite that discontent with the quality of modern communication, singles still rely heavily on conversation to connect. Nine out of 10 respondents identified a good conversation as the gold standard for a great date, while only one in 10 gave sex that coveted position.

Tinder has a reputation as a hook-up app, but what about people who want to find lasting relationships? Should they look elsewhere, asking friends to set them up or striking up conversation at a bar instead of going online? How does Tinder really compare to people who meet the old-fashioned way – in real life?

A new study (commissioned and released by Tinder) shows that contrary to stereotypes, many people use Tinder with the intent of finding a relationship. And for those who prefer the real life approach, who proclaim it to be more genuine or organic, it seems this is not the reality, either.

Thanks to Tinder, we may now have a glimpse of what daters really want.

Extroverts can often be misunderstood. They are charming, engaging people who are full of curiosity and you tend to seek out adventure. Extroverts are also energized by being around people, so parties and social gatherings are what they crave.

But when an extrovert is dating an introvert, there can be challenges. You might feel the need to be heard, or to talk about issues that bother you, while your dates might avoid confrontation and tend to retreat. Or you might fall in love over and over, but things don’t quite work out.

Extroverts are the life of the party, and are exciting to date, especially for introverts. It’s easy to take over making decisions, making plans, and guiding a relationship or conversation forward, but the extrovert needs to be careful, too. Relationships are a two-way street, so they require compromise.

Following are some tips for extroverts when dating:

Dating on its own is difficult, but when you’re an introvert, it can be both frustrating and exhausting.

Introverts aren’t anti-social (contrary to popular opinion), but while they do enjoy being with people, they also need more time alone to recharge. Think of it this way: extroverts get more energy by being around people and excitement, whereas introverts gain energy from taking a time-out.

So what does this mean when it comes to dating?

If there’s one complaint I hear from single women more than any other, it’s “why do I keep meeting the wrong guys?”

Before you completely give up on dating and delete all those dating apps, it’s time to take a step back and do some self-examination. This isn’t meant to be critical, it’s meant to help you take a real look at how your life has been unfolding so far, so that you can make some changes for the better.

I know a lot of women who are very successful in their careers but have had no luck in dating. They are attracted to the unavailable types, whether it’s a married man, a man who is distant or aloof, or a man who can’t seem to get his financial act together enough to be in a real relationship. None of these scenarios is good, but too many women fall back on the wrong relationship with the wrong men because they are afraid of being alone, or worse – never finding someone at all.