Interesting new study out. “A Global Shift in the Social Relationships of Networked Individuals: Meeting and Dating Online Comes of Age” is part of the “Me, My Spouse and the Internet Project” at the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, supported by a grant from eHarmony.
http://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/publications/Me-MySpouse_GlobalReport.pdf
The Oxford Internet Institute (OII) conducted an online questionnaire with 12,500+ couples from 18 countries:
Key Findings
- Online dating is a complement rather than a substitute for offline dating.
- Online dating is more prevalent among older people (40 and over) who are seeking a relationship than it is among younger (below 40) people.
- There are discernable differences cross-nationally, and across regions, in terms of dating practices, online behaviors, and Internet use. Respondents in Japan, which is known for high technology adoption, are more reluctant to embrace online dating, whereas in Brazil, which is often seen as a site of gregarious public spaces, people tend to be more comfortable with meeting people online.
- The ways that people are seeking out partners are becoming more of a blend of offline and online networks, which has been called networked individualism, rather than simply more or less group based.
Thanks to Fernando for the pointer.
