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For Half of Single Americans, Recession Having No Impact on Dating Attitudes
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For Half of Single Americans, Recession Having No Impact onDating Attitudes, According to People Media’s DatingData™ Poll
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HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (Dec. 1, 2009) – When the going gets tough, the tough go on a date.
Amid the roughest economy the U.S. has faced in decades, a new poll has found that a slim majority of single Americans report the recession has had no impact on their attitudes toward dating.
Delving deeper, the poll reveals that men are far more likely than women to be undeterred by the economy as they play the dating game. Women, on the other hand, are more than three times as likely as men to refuse to date someone who is unemployed.
People Media, Inc., the No. 1 provider of targeted online dating communities, monitors the status of single Americans through its ongoing DatingData™ poll series. Each month, the DatingData poll poses a timely question on most of the company’s targeted relationship sites, capturing the sentiments and opinions of a broad cross-section of the single population in America today.
The question on the table this month: “How does unemployment and the recession affect your attitude about dating?”
More than 27,000 single Americans responded to People Media’s DatingData poll, and a slight majority (51 percent) indicated their attitude toward dating has not gone into recession at all: it remains the same despite the ongoing economic strife. Among select populations, however, the poll found changes in attitude that suggest sober reflection on how best to meet people when times are tough:
- 51 percent — “It has no impact on my attitude about dating:
- 24 percent — “I would not date anyone who is unemployed”
- 17 percent — “I would be less motivated to date”
- 6 percent — “I view dating as networking to find a job”
- 2 percent — “I would be more motivated to date”
“In a time of financial uncertainty, people turn to each other for comfort, companionship and a sense of community, so it’s quite affirming to learn that single Americans are as interested in dating and finding a partner as ever,” said Josh Meyers, CEO, People Media. “The number of unique visitors to People Media dating sites has grown by 15 percent in the past year, according to comScore. Online dating is actually the ideal tool for these times because unemployed people have more time available to spend online, and precisely because that need for a robust social life may be more acute than ever.
“Online dating membership is not only affordable, it’s an effective way to avoid those ‘buyer beware’ moments of pricey, in-person first dates that often turn out to be a waste of time, emotional energy and cash,” Meyers added. “Instead, singles can get to know any number of potential dates quite well from within the comfort of their own homes, and only need take the step of meeting in person if they’re pretty sure it’s worth their while.”
While the majority of poll respondents continue to view dating with pre-Recession optimism, about one-quarter of single Americans (24 percent) do report a reluctance to date anyone who is unemployed, according to the People Media DatingDataTM poll. Gender plays a big role here, however: 37 percent of women won’t date an unemployed suitor, compared to just 11 percent of men who report the same attitude. Among all respondents, a small group (17 percent) also stated that unemployment and the impact of the recession put their motivation to date in a decline.
“Facing the challenges of today’s economy takes a great deal of energy and determination, so it shouldn’t be surprising that some people are less motivated or wary about taking on a new partner who may come with financial issues,” said Dr. Terri Orbuch, a psychologist and research professor at the University of Michigan who also serves as a relationship expert for People Media’s SeniorPeopleMeet.com.
“That’s why the fact that half of single Americans report no change in their dating attitudes is so positive and affirming,” Orbuch said. “These folks recognize that it’s better to have someone to share in the ups and downs of life, and by pursuing a relationship through online dating, they’re being proactive about bringing happiness to their lives.”
Indeed, last February, the New York Times reported an uptick in online dating despite the rapid growth of unemployment figures, reporting “those negative numbers seem to be having a positive effect on romance.”
Dissecting the Data: Unemployment and the Recession
In addition to top-line results from the more than 27,000 poll respondents in total, the data reveals some intriguing differences among the targeted communities that comprise the various People Media sites. Among the findings:
- For female respondents, only 39% report having no impact on their attitude about dating given the recession and unemployment (vs. 51% of all respondents); a hefty 37% would not date someone who is unemployed (vs. 24% of all respondents); 20% would be less motivated to date (vs. 17% of all respondents); just 3% would view dating as a networking tool for job hunting (vs. 6% of all respondents); and 1% would be more motivated to date (vs. 2% of all respondents).
- Compared to 51% of all respondents who report that unemployment and the recession have no impact on their attitude about dating, members of some People Media sites are even more likely to hold that view including MarriageMindedPeopleMeet (71%), AsianPeopleMeet (62%), BabyBoomerPeopleMeet (58%) and DivorcedPeopleMeet (58%).
- On the other hand, members of a few other sites are somewhat more likely to be fazed by the current economic climate, including BigBeautifulPeopleMeet (44%), BlackPeopleMeet (45%) and BlackChristianPeopleMeet (46%).
- Compared to 24% of all respondents who report being unwilling to date anyone who is unemployed, members of some People Media sites hold that attitude a little more strongly, including BigBeautifulPeopleMeet (33%), BlackPeopleMeet (29%), SingleParentMeet (29%), LatinoPeopleMeet (28%) and BlackChristianPeopleMeet (27%).
- Conversely, members of sites who are less likely to report an unwillingness to date someone who is unemployed include MarriageMindedPeopleMeet (5%), InterracialPeopleMeet (7%), AsianPeopleMeet (8%), DivorcedPeopleMeet (15%) and CatholicPeopleMeet (16%).
- With 17% of all respondents saying they would be less motivated to date, members of some People Media sites feel less strongly about this answer including MarriageMindedPeopleMeet (3%), InterracialPeopleMeet (6%), DivorcedPeopleMeet (9%), AsianPeopleMeet (9%) and CatholicPeopleMeet (11%).
- Although just 6% of all respondents reported they view dating as a networking tool for finding a job, members of certain People Media dating sites were more likely to feel this way, including InterracialPeopleMeet (32%), MarriageMindedPeopleMeet (19%), AsianPeopleMeet (18%), CatholicPeopleMeet (18%) and DivorcedPeopleMeet (15%)
Your thoughts?
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Elise Walker December 7th, 2009, 3:46 am
These are very interesting information. I guess when it comes to love, people are very optimistic.
Elise Walker´s last blog ..Is That Online Single ‘The One’ for You?