The very Latest Findings on Singles and Dating with Dr. Helen Fisher [EP178]
Feb 23, 2024
Dr. Helen Fisher, biological anthropologist and Kinsey Institute fellow who leads the long-running Singles in America study. She discusses who meets online, swipe-app dynamics, the rise of video vetting, mental health and sexual education priorities, trends like slow love and later falling in love, consensual non-monogamy patterns, and how AI is shaping dating.
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Largest Longitudinal Singles Study In America
- Helen Fisher's Singles in America is a 13-year, nationally representative study collecting ~200 questions yearly from ~5,000 singles, now totaling ~65–70k respondents.
- The study samples non-Match members via U.S. census weighting and tracks trends like polyamory, AI use, and Gen Z attitudes.
Vet First Dates With Video Chats
- Use video chatting as a vetting step before in-person dates to have more serious conversations and reduce superficial focus on looks.
- Video chats remove sex/money logistics and let both sexes reveal more about themselves, improving first-date quality.
Young Daters Prioritize Mental Health
- Younger daters prioritize mental health and expect partners to have done therapy or self-analysis.
- This generation also coined dating terms (ghosting, benching, gaslighting) and is more earnest about emotional maturity.