Pew Research: Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Dating
Research: The Overall Experience of US Online Daters
Dating services have been evolving in the US since the 1700s: people have exchanged letters, sent ads to the local newspapers, talked by phone, and sent video cassettes to find partners for romantic relationships. After the appearance of online dating, more and more singles have begun to get acquainted remotely, and long-lasting marriages have become the result of these acquaintances.
According to the Pew Research Center, 30% of US residents have at least once used dating sites or apps on the Internet. About 12% of them have been eventually involved in meaningful connections – either marriage or long-term relationships. Over 23% of them have gone on a date at least once after meeting someone online. In this article, we will dive into more interesting details to understand the overall experience of US online daters.
The Evolution of Views
Pew Research studies give a clear understanding of what has changed and how the attitude of the US residents evolved throughout the decade:
- In 2013, only 11% of respondents confirmed they have used dating sites or apps at least once;
- Only 3% of the people surveyed confirmed they have started a relationship with the person they have met online.
As you can see, the situation has changed dramatically as more people started to trust online dating services in their love searches. This fundamental shift has happened over the course of 9 years, so this is the success of online dating.
The current research also identifies the groups of people for whom this way of communication is the safest option: youngsters who belong to the LGBT community are the most successful dating site users. Over 55% of LGBT community members have used dating sites or apps at least once, while about 20% have finally found their lifetime partners on such platforms.
The Overall Attitude Towards Dating Sites in the USA
The US online daters often describe their online dating experience as positive rather than negative. In many ways, it simplified the way people find their soulmates who meet their expectations in terms of appearance, interests, and values. However, not everything is so optimistic because there are also downsides associated with online dating:
- 70% of respondents think that most online daters lie to their interlocutors to attract them and pretend to be a more desired partner.
- Over 45% said that online dating experience left them more frustrated than hopeful.
- The harassment incidents also take place on such platforms: over 60% of women aged from 18 to 34 confirmed that men continue to send messages after these ladies abandoned them. Over 57% of women received sexually explicit messages they didn’t ask for.
Nevertheless, the majority of people share their positive experiences of using dating platforms or apps. This experience continues to change the way we find our soulmates, and this has already become a normal way of finding a partner for marriage. Some people appreciate the user-friendliness and convenience of such platforms, as well as the obvious opportunity to expand the boundaries naturally determined by their social circles. Others believe that dating platforms offer nothing more than superficial relations, scams, and harassment.
Besides, the overall experience of using dating apps significantly varies by age. In particular, here are the stats by age groups saying they have ever used the dating platforms for finding love:
- Youngsters (18-29 y.o.) — 48%;
- Adults (30-49 y.o.) — 38%;
- 50+ group (50-64 y.o.) — 19%;
- Seniors (64+) — 13%.
Except for age, there are also differences in sexual orientation. LGBT community members are almost twice more active on dating sites than straight people. The same applies to the educational background: college graduates are usually more active than high school graduates.
Positive or Negative?
Most online daters consider this method to be effective in terms of finding a physically attractive partner, who shares the same interests or has similar hobbies. The personal experience of American users is mostly positive (57%), while negative feedback accounts for 42% of respondents.
Most demographic groups tend to access their dating experience in a similar way. Meanwhile, about 71% of respondents confirm that it was quite easy to find attractive interlocutors, while 2/3 managed to find people with the same interests and hobbies. For women, it was more difficult to find an attractive partner, while men experienced more trouble in finding women who share their interests. In general, for most seekers, the searching process was mostly simple and understandable, so many of them finally managed to start online relationships.
Is It Worth Being Involved in Online Dating?
Many people are still asking “is online dating worth it?” We neither have illusions about dating apps nor call on to register on these platforms. But if you are inspired by some positive examples, you should know the following:
“It has been calculated that 12% of Americans either have married their partners they met on the dating site or involved in a long-term relationship with someone they came across on the dating app,” according to Pew Research. Meanwhile, almost 23% of Americans have attended a date with a person they met on a dating site. For 39% of dating site users, this experience ended with a relationship or even marriage. Besides, many of them have seen the profiles of familiar people they know in real life. In general, about half of Americans consider virtual dating to be a safe method to meet new people. There is also a clear tendency confirming that this feeling mostly comes from younger users (18-29 y.o.) and decreases with age. Still, most of them believe that there is no difference whether you first meet your soulmate in real life or online. Indeed, if the result is positive, there is nothing to worry about.
