By Carol Church, Writer, Family Album
Reviewed by Donna Davis, PhD, University of Oregon, Portland School of Journalism and Communication
If you’re married, where did you first meet your partner? My husband and I met on the job, which is pretty common. Couples also commonly first get to know one another through mutual friends, at a social gathering, or through a club, common interest, or religious group. But do you know any married couples who first met online? If you think the answer is no…you might want to think again.
Online Romance: Increasingly Common
In fact, a 2013 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that more than one-third of recent marriages in the U.S. began with an online meeting. The study is based on a survey of nearly 20,000 Americans who tied the knot between 2005 and 2012. While about 65% of respondents said they’d first met their spouse in person, about 35% said they’d initially encountered their future wife or husband on the Internet. Close to half of these matches took place through an online dating service; the rest occurred in other online environments, such as online forums or gaming areas.
Long-Term Success Stories?
How have romances sparked by the Internet fared over time? Though the marriages in this study are still pretty recent, the data are intriguing. After taking factors like religion, education, and income into account, the researchers found that people who met their spouses online were actually somewhat more satisfied with their marriages than those who had first met in person. Couples who had met online also were somewhat less likely to have separated or divorced.
What’s behind these small, but fascinating differences? Though the researchers aren’t sure, they speculate that the larger pool of partners available online might facilitate better matches. Another theory holds that people reveal more about themselves online, helping them get to know each other more authentically before meeting in person. Whatever the explanation, there’s much more to be learned about online romance. Fortunately, it looks like there will be plenty of couples to study!
(Photo credit: Bot Love by Damian Gadal. CC BY 2.0. Cropped.)
References:
Cacioppo, J. T., Cacioppo, S., Gonzaga, G. C., Ogburn, E. L., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2013). Marital satisfaction and break-ups differ across on-line and off-line meeting venues. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Advance online publication. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1222447110
(Originally published in a slightly different form as: Church, C. (2013). Marriages sparked by online romances. [Radio broadcast episode]. Family Album Radio. Gainesville, FL: University of Florida.)
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