Match.com Reveals the Ups & Downs of Dating Behavior of 2012 & How Celebrity Relationships Compare to U.S. Singles

DALLAS, Dec. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The dating world has proven to be a whirlwind for singles this year – for celebrities and everyday people alike. In an attempt to make better sense of it all, Match.com, the world's largest dating website, compiled the most compelling trends and statistics tied to the biggest highs and lows of relationships this year. For starters, 64%* of singles reported that their top New Year's resolution will be to find new love in 2013, and nearly 1/3 of younger singles reported reconnecting with the same ex over three times – Bieber and Gomez are on track to beat the odds!

So what's really behind these wild dating trends, and what's the best medicine for bouncing back and adjusting to singledom post-split? New data unveiled from Match.com's 2012 "Singles In America" study, the largest and most comprehensive study ever conducted on U.S. singles, showed that age and gender play a major role in the recovery experience, with men taking substantially less time to bounce back than women.

To further showcase these trends, Match.com took a look back at this year's top 12 most notable Hollywood dating moments to see how they stacked up against the study's most prominent statistics. Were Johnny Depp and Peter Facinelli's fast moves to re-partner post-break really that shocking? Or is this behavior in line with the recovery process of most U.S. males? Find out below from Match.com's "Singles in America" data highlights, paired with celebrity analysis, of the top celebrity shake-ups of 2012:

Top Deal-Breakers for Singles: Cheating was cited as the top factor leading to singles' most recent breakup (17%), an issue K-Pat are all too familiar with following Kristen Stewart's recent tryst with director Rupert Sanders. 

How Singles Bounce Back: While talking to friends/family is the most popular move post-breakup overall (41%), men are more likely to go out for a drink (24%) or immerse themselves in hobbies (20%). Women are more likely to mourn their breakup with food (22%) or by holing up and watching TV (22%).

Recovery by the Ages:

• 20s: Singles in their 20s are more likely to work out (20%), talk to their friends (56%), or go out for a drink (32%).
• 30s:  Katie Holmes' recent focus on her career is not unusual after a breakup at all, as the study found singles in their 30s are more likely to immerse themselves in work (25%) after a split.
• 40s and 50s: Singles in this age range are less likely to hit the gym for solace (7%), and more likely instead to call friends/family (39%) for support or seek escape by watching TV (20%).

Recovery Time: 37% of men take a month or less to get over a breakup (55% bounce back in three months or less), a behavior that Johnny Depp displayed after immediately jumping into a new relationship with Amber Heard after his split with former girlfriend of 14 years, Vanessa Paradis. On the opposite side of the spectrum, 32% of women take a year or more to recover, with 1/5 of those surveyed reporting it took 2+ years to move on.

• Take a Note from Taylor Swift: Singles in their 20s take less time to get over a breakup, with 62% reporting it took them less than three months to move on. On the flip side, the study showed that older singles in their 50s-60s lament longer, with 30% taking over a year to rebound right.

Can We Still Be Friends? Men are more likely to remain friends post-breakup (28%), while women are more likely to cut off all communication (41%) with their ex-partner.

• Remaining Friends is Easier with Age: Singles in their 60s are most likely to remain friends, as demonstrated by Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman's cordial post-split relationship. Meanwhile, younger singles prefer to have limited communication via email and phone post-breakup.

Reconciling With The Ex: 50% of women and 43% of men have reconciled with an ex-partner. And the top reason for getting back together? Men are more likely to try again because they miss her, while women are more likely to give it a second chance because they're still in love.

• 27% of Younger Singles have Taken Back the Same Partner Over Three Times: Overall, younger singles are more likely to get back with an ex than older singles, since 27% of respondents in their 20s reporting going through the breakup/make-up cycle with the same ex over three times (and 9.3% have done this over five times!).

For more survey results and tips from Match.com's Relationship Expert Whitney Casey, visit http://blog.match.com/datingin2012

Methodology
Data results were pulled from Match.com's second annual Single In America Study. First released earlier this year, the study was funded by Match.com and conducted by MarketTools in association with biological anthropologist Dr. Helen Fisher, Chief Scientific Advisor for Match.com; sex and relationship therapist, Dr. Laura Berman; evolutionary biologist with The Kinsey Institute at Indiana University, Dr. Justin R. Garcia; and the Institute for Evolutionary Studies (EvoS) at Binghamton University. The results, which include the views of a representative sample of over 5,000 US singles, gives a specific look at the relationships between Sex and Politics, Gender Roles and Romantic Expectations and is the largest and most comprehensive national study of American singles ever to be conducted.

*Data point taken from a Match.com member poll of over 1,000 single male and females.

About Match.com:
Founded in 1995, Match.com was the original dating website and pioneer of the online dating industry. Today, 17 years later, Match.com operates leading subscription-based online dating sites in 25 countries, 8 languages and across five continents and is responsible for more dates, relationships and marriages than any other website. Match.com is an operating business of IAC (Nasdaq: IACI) and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.  For more information, visit http://www.match.com.

SOURCE Match.com