Cupid’s Digital Arrow
Online dating has not only shed its stigma, it has surpassed all forms of matchmaking in the United States other than meeting through friends, according to a new study from at the University of Rochester. The digital revolution in romance is a boon to lonely-hearts, providing greater and more convenient access to potential partners, reports the team of psychological scientists who prepared the review. Highlights of the study include:
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In the early 1990s, less than 1% of the population met partners
through printed personal advertisements or other commercial
intermediaries. By 2005, among single Americans adults who were Internet
users and currently seeking a romantic partner, 37% had dated online.
In 2007-2009, 22% of heterosexual couples and 61% of same-sex couples
had found their partners through the web. Those percentages are likely
even larger today, the researchers said.
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Men view three times more profiles than women do.
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Men are more likely to initiate contact with a woman after
viewing her profile than women were after viewing a man’s profile (12.5%
to 9%).
