VANCOUVER, June 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As a result of the
pandemic and social distancing, 55% of young, single Americans
turned to technology to be sexually intimate. As the country begins
to reopen, new insights from dating app Plenty of Fish show
that while 42% of singles are open to physical intimacy after the
pandemic and are eager to meet new people, two-thirds will continue
to be just as virtually connected after the pandemic as they were
during, relying on video chats (61%), sexting (54%) and phone sex
(47%).
These findings, among others, were revealed in a new survey of
2,900 Millennial and Gen Z Americans by Plenty of Fish and OnePoll,
underscoring how the pandemic has changed the dating game for
good.
The Evolution of Intimacy
According to the study, 64% of singles said being virtually
intimate during the pandemic changed what they consider intimacy to
be. Nearly 6 in 10 (57%) respondents now place higher value on
other types of intimacy, like emotional or intellectual intimacy,
while 45% find less value in physical connection.
Despite the impact COVID-19 had on the dating landscape, singles
have embraced the "new normal" including changing their dating
behavior and perceptions of intimacy have changed as a result.
"It has been incredible to see how singles took the last year in
stride, and in doing so, changed their overall mindset and adapted
their behavior when it comes to dating," said Kate MacLean, Resident Dating Expert at Plenty
of Fish. "As we transition out of quarantine, we look forward to
seeing how the tools singles leveraged during quarantine – like our
livestreaming platform, video chat and more – will continue to play
an important role in establishing more meaningful connections, and
ultimately, relationships."
Additional survey findings include:
A Shift in Dating Mindsets and Behavior
- Over half of singles (51%) think one-night stands will become a
thing of the past once the pandemic comes to an end.
- Men are more likely to agree with this sentiment than women (61%
vs. 45%, respectively) and Millennials are nearly 1/3 more likely
(57%) than Gen Z (39%) to believe that one-night stands are a
pre-COVID-19 trend.
- 61% of singles believe sexting will be even more popular after
the pandemic than it was before.
- More than two in five (45%) singles said they feel more
confident in their virtual sexual intimacy skills than their
in-person skills, including 54% of men and 39% of women.
Seeking Solace in Other Places
- 76% of singles said they have been in a friends with benefits
relationship since the pandemic began.
- Nearly nine in 10 (85%) of these friends with benefits
relationships began when singles turned to their roommate (a trend
Plenty of Fish has coined as "room-mate-ing") or someone they've
known for years platonically.
- Singles also fulfilled their sexual needs via steamy TV shows
(40%), subscribing to adult entertainment platforms (33%) and
listening to podcasts about sex (30%).
"After what many are considering a 'lost year,' we see singles
being more intentional than ever about who they're spending time
with and how they choose to spend that time," said Relationship and
Dating Expert, and Plenty of Fish partner, Dr. Jess O'Reilly. "With an increased focus on
things like emotional intimacy, Plenty of Fish ensured singles
didn't lose an entire year after all, by providing them with a
platform to make those deeper, more meaningful connections in a
low-pressure way."
The press kit can be found here. Join the conversation on social
by following Plenty of Fish on Instagram, Twitter,
Facebook and blog The Latest Catch.
The Evolution of Intimacy Study + Methodology
2,900
U.S. casually dating singles ages 18-40 were polled in April and
May 2021 by OnePoll, in a study
commissioned by Plenty of Fish
About Plenty of Fish
Plenty of Fish, a Match Group (NASDAQ: MTCH) company, is one of the
largest global online dating companies and is available in 11
languages and more than 20 countries. Unlike many dating offerings
today, Plenty of Fish offers a less prescriptive, low-pressure user
experience that allows singles to discover
what they're looking for.
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SOURCE Plenty of Fish