Bumble has shared its most recent round of data from its ‘Dating Redefined Report’ for September 2022, and some particularly interesting findings have emerged. Most notably, there’s been a big old spike in interest around ethical non-monogamy (ENM), but there are also trends popping up around the terms ’emotional magnetism,’ ‘exclusive energy’, as well as sex drive and libido.
Here are the findings from Bumble’s report that we found most intriguing.
More people are keen on ethical non-monogamy:
According to data from Bumble’s report, as much as a third of single Aussies believe that ethical non-monogamy is the future of romantic relationships. Per the data, Gen Z felt most enthusiastic about this point (42% agreed), and Millennials followed at 36 per cent, with Gen X sitting at 24 per cent pro-ENM.
Speaking about the concept of monogamy more generally, four in five (or 80%) of single respondents reported feeling that these kinds of relationships are hard work, but worth the effort.
And looking at those who are presently in relationships, 47 per cent of folks shared that they thought ethical non-monogamy was the way of the future.
If that sounds pretty high to you, well, it is. Even Chantelle Otten, Bumble’s resident sexologist, said she was pleasantly surprised by the interest in ethical non-monogamy that showed up.
In a statement on the study, she said:
“Wow! These are surprising stats, and I think that 33 per cent is actually quite high when it comes to ethical non monogamy! That’s 1 in 3! I find this open-mindedness really encouraging, and I can see the shift in beliefs for different generations.”
Emotional chemistry is hot:
In addition to the rise in interest in ethical non-monogamy, the report also indicated that there was a trend emerging around ’emotional magnetism’ over physical attraction.
Per Bumble’s data, 75 per cent of singles surveyed said personality is one of the top three elements that makes them attracted to a potential partner. A third of respondents even listed it as their top quality overall.
Bumble also reported that almost half (42%) of people listed emotional intelligence as more important than physical attractiveness.
Changing attitudes about ‘the chat’:
Apparently, the way singles are approaching exclusivity in dating is becoming a lot more relaxed, Bumble reports. According to the data, 88 per cent of respondents feel ‘the chat’ should not go down in the early stages of dating. Some stated they felt discussions of exclusivity should be delayed until you meet the family (23%), while others prefer to wait until you’ve hung out with friends (17%) or taken a trip together (16%).
Obviously, if you’re going down the ethical non-monogamy route, this doesn’t apply. But it’s interesting to consider.
In the end, however, the report did indicate that openness to discuss what you’d like out of a relationship is broadly valued by singles in Australia. It was one of the top three listed desires in dating, along with emotional compatibility and shared values.
Sex drive compatibility:
For the most part (63%), respondents shared they believed people with differing sex drives can hold a healthy relationship still. And a larger group (69%) reported feeling open to the idea of seeking out sex therapy to build on confidence in the bedroom.
Overall, the vibe appeared to be that majority of Aussies felt that communication and comfort around sex were key, rather than matching libidos. And, of course, this applies to both monogamy and ethical non-monogamy.
If you’re interested to know, this report surveyed 1,021 single Australians between1,021 single Australians aged 18 –59 years old the ages of 18 –59 years old.
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