Love online: clicking, chatting, getting married
For good twenty years there have been existing dating sites on the Internet. On an equal footing with many other services, they became a part of normality for many of us…
It has even created many new words in our lexicon. It includes such phrases as mail-order brides, swipe fever, cuffing season, and many more. And it is hardly surprising that scientists and psychologists like to compare online and offline couples to determine the differences in their relationships. But, guess what: Internet lovebirds fall in love quickly, start leaving together faster, and decide to have children earlier! Well, at least – that is what a new study conducted by the London university says. Many couples were interviewed to get this result. We will give you more details about this research further in this article. But, for now, it should be stated that, generally, 200 couples who met offline and 500 online soulmates took part in it.
One thing that became clear is Internet partner suggestions on matchmaking platforms – are successful like hitting the nail on the head.
So experts summarize – on dating portals, you meet plenty of like-minded people. In this respect, it is no wonder that falling in love is usually faster! You must agree – when you as a single in a bar in the evening want to make new acquaintances you hardly find people with similar interests right away.
Another interesting fact highlighted in this study – online couples, as a rule, need an average term of two months to start a romance with a new partner. You might be surprised, but offline it takes on average eleven months. While onliners set up a joint household after just one year, get married after three years, and then immediately have children. Offline lovebirds need more time here, too. They only move in together after three years for the most part and then require another two years for marriage and little ones.
But does this also mean that Internet couples get divorced faster too?
Psychologists are pretty skeptical about this statement. In their opinion, you actively take your fate into your own hands online. You even often have a clear idea of a future relationship. So when Mrs. and Mr. Right meet each other, it quickly becomes clear to both of them what kind of further steps are needed.
In addition – perhaps shocking for some people – external attractiveness plays an insignificant role in online dating. This statement confirms the existence of certain platforms. There are matchmaking services where the profile pictures are pixelated at the initial stages! They become clearly visible only after a while of communication. What is crucial in online dating – it’s your ability to write interesting letters. A humorous or original writing style can definitely make it spark between you and your favorite. But it, of course, doesn’t mean you don’t need to look attractive during a face-to-face meeting.
In the UK, the average marriage duration is around eleven years. In 2020 the divorce rate in this country was 50 percent. But if online couples are quicker at everything – why can’t it be noticed in the divorce rate? Naturally, one could say that the study did not investigate exactly this point. The representatives of London university contradict this statement. They have analyzed the dynamics of recent years and haven’t found anything out of normality. But it is still too early to give specific answers – the question should be investigated in a few years.
If you want to hear our opinion in this regard – we are sure that online dating works. Many happy men and women have proven it long ago. Moreover: many interracial couples get married without seeing each other in real life! Yes, it could also be done through the Internet. So what are you waiting for?