Many Singles Prioritize Well-being and Emotional Maturity After COVID-19, Seeking Long-term Stability in Relationships
[Asia Economy Senior Reporter Jinsoo Lee] A survey has found that single men and women in the United States have developed different views on sex since the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to a report titled "Singles in America," released on the 9th (local time) by Match, an online dating service based in Dallas, Texas, 81% of single men in the U.S. consider sex to be less important than before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Helen Fisher, Match's chief scientific advisor, analyzed, "The more frequent the sexual activity, the more one desires it; the less frequent, the less one desires it," adding, "Due to reduced sexual activity and extreme stress during COVID-19, the importance of sex in life has diminished for singles."
Today’s singles are found to desire educated, successful, realistic, and open-hearted committed partners. Experts expect this will lead to more stable families in the future.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many singles have prioritized well-being and sought emotional maturity. Singles have truly become more mature. 66% responded that they pay more attention to their mental health. 64% said they have become better at relaxing, 58% increased their sleep time, 56% gained confidence, and 55% learned to control their social media usage.
53% of singles said they pay more attention to their physical health. During the past year amid the pandemic, 62% of singles reported that their family relationships have become closer.
They have come to seek long-term stability in relationships, led primarily by men. Only 11% of singles wanted one-time dates. 62% said they desire more meaningful and committed relationships.
Nowadays, singles pay close attention to whether their partner is financially stable. The proportion of singles who think their partner’s income should be at least equal to their own rose from 70% in 2019 to 86% this year. Those who believe their partner’s education level should be at least equal to theirs increased from 79% in 2019 to 89% this year. The percentage wanting a successful partner also rose from 85% two years ago to 90% this year.
More singles want to get married. However, fewer singles are inclined to choose partners who want to have children. In a 2017 survey, 80% of singles thought their partner should want children. Today, this figure has sharply dropped to 61%.
This change is especially pronounced among women. Only 56% of single women think their partner should want children, compared to 68% of single men.
According to Match’s report, 72% of Generation Z (born 1997?2010) and 69% of the so-called Millennial generation (born in the 1980s and 1990s) started new hobbies during the pandemic. 69% of Generation Z proudly reported significant changes in their careers.
Match publishes the "Singles in America" report annually. This year marks the 11th edition.
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