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While it was thought that dating apps would have to fight hard to survive the corona crisis, the opposite happened. Normal, in-person dates were postponed, but singles did not give up. On the contrary: they continued to date, more than ever.
Singles were apparently reluctant to put their love lives on hold for a virus. They showed resilience and showed that they can quickly adapt to a new situation – however difficult that may have been for some. Virtual video dates became the norm for singles who still wanted to date during lockdown. But while the way today’s singles date has changed, traditional stereotypes still persist. One such persistent stereotype is that men prefer younger women, according to research from the Universities of Lincoln and Swansea .
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Men looking for a younger woman
Psychologists from the two universities studied 120,000 dating profiles from dating app eHarmony to find out whether men still prefer younger women today. And they still do. They found that the stereotype is still true – to a certain extent.
The psychologists who studied the data together discovered that 1 in 5 men want a relationship with a woman who is at least 5 years younger. The single men cite appearance and health as the most important factors for wanting to date a younger woman. But the stereotype does not apply to all men.
Men who are fathers are more open to dating women their own age. This may be because the priorities and core values of these men change when they become fathers, the researchers believe. On average, according to the study, men look for a partner who is 2 years younger than themselves.
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Women date older men
The study also shows that women – on average – prefer a man who is at least 18 months older. Their reasons for this? They are more likely to seek a partner who is emotionally mature and they desire a more serious relationship .
The research largely reflects reality: the average age difference between a woman and her partner is 20 months, while men have a relationship with someone 13 months younger. For men who do not want children, age does not matter that much. These men on average have no age difference with their partners – which indicates that fertility is an important component.
Dr Robin Kramer, one of the psychologists, says: “Even seemingly simple factors in attraction, such as a partner’s physical appearance, often have their roots in evolutionary psychology. The waist-to-hip ratio in women – also known as the hourglass figure – can indicate high levels of oestrogen and testosterone, which can be a sign of good reproductive genes, while emotional maturity in men indicates a greater willingness to stay with a partner and raise offspring.
The study, conducted during the coronavirus pandemic, shows that while a lot can change in the dating world, stereotypes are not going away any time soon. The researchers believe that choosing a partner is a complex matter, but that we are ‘still driven by fundamental needs’.
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