Meeting partners online is related to lower relationship satisfaction and love: Data from 50 countries

Abstract

The Internet has fundamentally reshaped how people meet and form romantic relationships. But how significant are these changes, and what do they mean for relationship quality? In a large-scale, cross-cultural study using nationally representative samples from 50 countries, we examined the prevalence of online partner meeting, the demographic correlates of this trend, and its association with relationship satisfaction and experienced love. Analyzing data from 6,646 partnered individuals (Mage = 41.45, SDage = 13.81), we found that 16 % of participants met their partners online, with this figure rising to 21 % among those who initiated their romantic relationships after 2010. Individuals in shorter relationships and those with lower socioeconomic status (SES) were more likely to have met their partners online. We found no significant differences in the likelihood of online relationship formation based on gender or age. On average, participants who met their partners online reported lower relationship satisfaction and lower intensity of experienced love compared to those who met offline, with effect sizes ranging from small to medium. Given that online dating continues to grow worldwide, our findings underscore the need to enhance support for improving relationship quality among all couples, particularly those who met their partners online.