How your phone is ruining your love life

The dating scene can be a difficult place with social rules and etiquette that can be daunting to even the most confident of us – make eye contact, but not too much, talk about yourself, but don’t brag, ask about them, but not so much that you come across as being nosy. But the last few years it’s got even harder. Sitting at the table with you as you make small talk about your day, occasionally buzzing, sometimes beeping, is an awkward third wheel gate crashing your dinner date – your mobile phone. And science has shown that it might be ruining your chances in the dating scene.

Mobile phones have changed our culture. They were invented to make our lives easier; to keep us connected with our loved ones, to help us plan our days more efficiently, to be able to work as we travel. But living in the digital age has presented an entirely new set of challenges when we’re looking for new potential partners. Do we delete the photos of our ex girlfriend from Facebook? Do we unfollow that fling from high school on Instagram? How long do you wait between Whatsapp messages before you send a reply? Should you text him first? New technology has shaped the world around us, changing the resources we have to interact with one another, but has our culture caught up with handling this era of connectivity? Have our manners evolved with the screen we hold in our hands? Or are our mobile phones, and their associated new challenges, proving to be more of a hindrance to our social species when it comes to navigating the difficult world of dating.

phone dating photo

A study of 2,000 adults living in the UK found, commissioned by musicMagpie, has revealed some surprising insights into our digital dating lives; more adults would rather keep in touch with a romantic interest using instant message rather than a phone call, one third have had a relationship end over message, and almost two thirds of people surveyed have already decided what they think about someone before they actually meet after searching their social media or Google-ing their name. Additionally, although almost half of participants agreed it is okay to use your phone on a date, 54  per cent have said they would be dissuaded by someone if they spend a lot of time on their phone.

Other interesting statistics from the survey reveal that almost 25% of people have ditched their date due to their social media vetting, and that 30% of people on the dating scene will look for their Facebook account prior to meeting.

Liam Howley, spokesman for musicMagpie has commented in a press release; “Our research has shown there is so much more people take into consideration now when going on a date. It’s no longer solely about common interests and physical attraction but how we engage with the world around us. Communication is a key part of any relationship, so it’s understandable couples want to be on the same wavelength when keeping in touch.”

This study was carried out by musicMagpie. For more information on the study, please visit: https://blog.musicmagpie.co.uk/2018/07/09/smartphones-and-dating/


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