NEW YORK, April 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Plenty of Fish (POF), the number one dating app for conversations, today released Conversation Nation 2018. The study, which surveyed 2,000 U.S. singles over 18 years of age, revealed conversation as the benchmark for chemistry and compatibility. Seventy-four percent of singles say conversation is the #1 indicator of chemistry, even over physical attraction.

"This study highlights the fact that singles value authentic connections and conversations," says Celeste Headlee, conversation expert and celebrated author. "Plenty of Fish focuses its efforts on helping singles spark meaningful conversations, alleviating the awkwardness of the first approach, which is one of the top barriers to talking to someone you're interested in. These in-app conversations can lead to better first dates."

Conversation Nation 2018

Singles are Doing it for the Gram(mar) 
While many say genuine conversations have fallen by the wayside in the digital age, Plenty of Fish found that singles still consider conversations critical to establishing meaningful connections. When they prioritize conversation over physical attraction, they mean it. In fact, 58 percent of singles say bad grammar is a bigger turn off than bad sex. Additionally, 60 percent believe people can fall in love during a first conversation, showing the integral role these first interactions play in identifying potential partners. 

How does this impact the transition from in-app conversations to first dates? Instead of an experience-oriented outing like a movie or concert, 78 percent of singles prefer dates that nurture quality conversation, such as dinner, coffee or cocktails.

Debating & Dating In Trump's America
In the current controversial political environment, people are living and dating by their beliefs. In 2018, 34 percent of singles say they would rather have bad sex for the rest of their life than date a Trump supporter.

The survey found 59 percent of singles won't start talking to someone whose dating profile promotes a political opinion opposite of theirs. Across party lines, 52 percent of Republicans and 65 percent of Democrats won't start a conversation with a political opposite.

However, there is some hope for opposites that attract: 84 percent of singles find the best way to work through these divides during dating is to discuss them openly with each other.

The "New" Rules of Engagement _READ
Pop culture established the "rules" for when and how to interact with love interests (the infamous three day rule, anyone?), but modern daters are throwing these rules out the window. Thirty-seven percent of singles reply to messages from potential matches within one hour, and nearly a quarter (23 percent) reply right away. The reason? Instead of finding this desperate, people use quick responses to gauge interest. In fact, being left on "read" was identified as the number one most annoying text habit.

"People interpret rapid responses as a sign of serious interest, and if they haven't heard from you in a couple days, they assume you're not interested," Headlee adds. "It's good to respond, even if it's just to say that you don't have time to craft a lengthy message, but you saw their note and will get back to them. But, it's important to balance a quick reply with being wedded to your phone. When you transition from in-app to in-person, be sure to focus on conversation with your date instead of your device!"

Gen Zers Are Making Their Own Rules
Millennials have been the much-hyped game changers in every market. However, as Gen Z (currently aged 18-24) comes of age, the study found them to be the generation driving the greatest shift in how singles communicate. This generation is the first born into the age of smartphone devices. They grew up with instant messaging and texting, and they are accustomed to an always-on world. While 23 percent of singles reply to messages from potential matches right away, 31 percent of Gen Z'ers respond immediately.

Contrary to popular belief, Gen Z'ers actually highly value conversations. While 74 percent of all singles believe in good conversation over physical attraction, 81 percent of Gen Z'ers feel this to be true, showing the younger generation is even more interested in engaging in meaningful conversations than simply flipping through photos of potential matches.

Key differences between Gen Z daters and other generations? Gen Z is leveraging crowdsourcing for their dating conversations: 49 percent of Gen Z'ers ask for help drafting messages to potential matches, compared to 20 percent of singles overall.

About Conversation Nation 2018
Conversation Nation is an annual in-depth study that dives into multiple aspects of conversations happening among singles today. To view the complete findings, please download here or email melanie.garvey@mslgroup.com for a full copy of the report.

About Plenty of Fish (POF)
Plenty of Fish (POF), a Match Group (MTCH) company, is one of the largest global online dating companies, with 150 million registered users. Available in 11 languages and more than 20 countries, POF has more conversations than any other dating app, with 2.5 million happening every day. Unlike any dating offering today, singles have more quality conversations on POF, which can lead to stronger connections, smarter matches and better dates. For more information, please visit http://iac.com/brand/match-group.

SOURCE Plenty of Fish