Heat Up the Holidays: Survey Reveals How Men*, Naughty and Nice, View Online Dating

NEW YORK and MOSCOW, Dec. 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The holiday season is upon us—a great time for cuddling up with your significant other by the fire or, for many people, reflecting on being single and feeling a bit lonely. So what's a guy to do when he's hanging a stocking for one? Increasingly, the answer is to try online dating, but some guys are naughty, and some are nice, when it comes to how they approach this.

Naughty Guys Dating Online

A recent survey of online dating attitudes found that nearly six in 10 (57 percent) men aged 35 to 55* who would try or have already tried online dating said that companionship is their relationship objective, while 31 percent cited wanting a purely sexual relationship. What's more is that one in 10 guys* do not believe that having an online relationship with a woman other than their current lover is considered cheating.

The survey, which was conducted by Harris Interactive in conjunction with online international dating website AnastasiaDate, polled over 500 American men aged 35 to 55, with a household income of $100k or more, an associate's degree or more in education and an interest in women. The results demonstrate men's vast opinions on online dating and loyalty with regards to their loved ones this holiday season:

• Eleven percent of men aged 35 to 55* do not believe that having an online relationship with another woman is cheating, and 8 percent of those who are married or living with a partner agree.
• Men aged 35 to 55* with household incomes of $150,000 or more are significantly more likely than those with incomes of less than $150,000 to disagree that online dating should be considered cheating for a man in a relationship (16 percent versus 6 percent).
• Married men aged 35 to 55* who would try or have already tried online dating believe they can find something that they aren't currently getting in their personal lives. These same married men  were found to be significantly more likely than those who are not married to say that they are/were expecting to find the future promise of sex (26 percent versus 10 percent).

Nice Guys Dating Online

Even though there are some naughty guys out there, the survey also found that the majority of American men seem to be looking for more meaningful, stable and lasting relationships despite their frequent difficulties with meeting women in person:

• Eighty-five percent of men aged 35 to 55* who would try or have already tried online dating believe they can find something that they aren't currently getting in their personal lives—and over half (52 percent) believe that this is true companionship.
• Two in five men aged 35 to 55* could fall for someone they developed a connection with online, without ever meeting in person.
• A majority of men aged 35 to 55* (54 percent) struggle when meeting a woman face to face for the first time, and the largest part of that struggle (45 percent) is in knowing how to start the conversation.

"Most American guys understand that online dating, especially international online dating, will not only prevent them from being alone during the holidays, but it will also allow them to understand how these same holidays are celebrated and cherished in other cultures," said Lawrence Cervantes, AnastasiaDate's Chief Communications Officer. "As men head into the New Year, they have the opportunity to develop a connection with someone that resonates on a much deeper level than just sexual attraction and will stimulate them to lead more fulfilling and exciting lives in the future."

Full survey data is available upon request. An infographic showcasing these findings is also available here.

*35- to 55-year-old U.S. males with $100K+ household income, an associate's degree or higher and an interest in relationships with women

Methodology
This online dating survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of AnastasiaDate between July 30 and August 8, 2013, among 503 U.S. males aged 35 to 55 with a household income of $100K or more, an associate's degree or more education and an interest in women (among whom 208 have dated online or would be open to doing so). This online survey is not based on a probability sample, and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact [email protected]

About AnastasiaDate
AnastasiaDate is the leading international dating service that facilitates exciting and romantic companionship with beautiful and interesting women from all over the world.  Founded in 1993 by a Russian-American couple, AnastasiaDate now has over 4 million international users and attracts more than 10 million online visits monthly. Additionally, over 1.5 million conversations are exchanged onsite daily. AnastasiaDate is committed to member safety, customer satisfaction and the ongoing pursuit of innovation. Headquartered in Moscow and New York and with additional representation in every country it touches, AnastasiaDate provides a high level of customer service to a worldwide clientele. AnastasiaDate users are able to communicate across a variety of top-notch multimedia platforms, including video chat and a mobile app for Android devices available in the Google Play store.

About Harris Interactive
Harris Interactive is one of the world's leading market research firms, leveraging research, technology, and business acumen to transform relevant insight into actionable foresight. Known widely for the Harris Poll® and for pioneering innovative research methodologies, Harris offers proprietary solutions in the areas of market and customer insight, corporate brand and reputation strategy, and marketing, advertising, public relations and communications research. Harris possesses expertise in a wide range of industries including health care, technology, public affairs, energy, telecommunications, financial services, insurance, media, retail, restaurant, and consumer package goods. Additionally, Harris has a portfolio of multi-client offerings that complement our custom solutions while maximizing our client's research investment. Serving clients in more than 196 countries and territories through our North American and European offices, Harris specializes in delivering research solutions that help us - and our clients—stay ahead of what's next. For more information, please visit www.harrisinteractive.com.

Media Contacts:
Alison Crisci / Caitlin Kasunich     
KCSA Strategic Communications
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Direct: 212-682-6566

SOURCE AnastasiaDate