“With this cogent 2015 survey of single Americans, we are uncovering more and more of the shrouded attitudes and behaviors of this massive population,” says Dr. Helen Fisher, biological anthropologist and Chief Scientific Advisor to Match. “And the coming year is special: it’s political, and today’s singles have vivid opinions about what they will not tolerate in a leader.  Moreover, this year we focused on the crucial ‘second date,’ a vital courtship step that has been seriously understudied until now. This meticulous annual scientific study continues to reveal the pulse of the single’s psyche…and our basic human nature.”

Key takeaways from this year’s study include:

POLITICS, SEX & DATING
Comparing the dating habits and sexual preferences of Republicans and Democrats

Passion and Politics: Individuals who are passionate about political issues (regardless of their affiliation) have better sex, with 13% more orgasms; they are also 32% more likely to experience multiple orgasms. So, if he or she is passionate about the candidates at dinner, you can anticipate more passion in the bedroom, too!

Hillary vs. Trump:

• Hillary supporters are more likely to: lie about the number of past sex partners (102%); “wait for the right person” (38%); actively look for commitment (43%) and want children (65%). On the first date they expect no physical contact (2133%), are 70% more likely to discuss politics and 226% more likely to discuss marriage.
• Trump supporters are more likely to: film themselves having sex (99%); have five or more exes (54%); be unemployed (82%) or retired (96%); expect sex on the first date (1104%) and discuss their exes (116%).

Kiss & Tell: When it comes to kissing, older female singles chose Marco Rubio as the most kissable candidate (24%), while millennials are 94% more likely to want to kiss Bernie Sanders.

Trump & Dump: However, when it comes to “ghosting,” over a third of single women would choose to drop Donald Trump cold turkey after a first date.

THE SINGLE VOTE
Singles make up more than 1/3 of the U.S. adult population. Here’s where they fall on key issues...

The Political Single: 19% of singles identify as Republican, 40% as Democrat, 15% as Independent, 2% as Libertarians and 24% have no registered political affiliations. Less than 10% of singles have changed their party affiliation since 2012, and a partner had little influence on those who did change their affiliation.

Morals & Values: Few singles are willing to vote for a politician who has: been caught in a lie (7%), committed a crime (12%), or had an affair (26%). However, the majority of singles would vote for a candidate who: is single (75%), divorced (64%), is female (78%), or has successful business background (74%).

THE FIRST DATE PLAYBOOK … RECIPE FOR SECOND-DATE FATE
Focus on first dates has far overshadowed the scientific study of the second date—a much more crucial step toward long-term love

First Impressions and Second Chances: 59% of men and women do not expect to feel chemistry until the second date, and over a third of singles don’t expect passion to erupt until the third date or later. However, 53% will go on a second date with someone for whom they do not yet feel any romantic chemistry—largely because 50% of singles believe that the person will “grow” on them.

Winning Conversations on the First Date
Politically Correct: Talking politics used to be a social faux pas, but no more.In fact, a good discussion on any political issue can boost your chances of a second date by 91%. 25% of singles say “not being registered to vote” is an instant deal-breaker, while 35% will not consider dating someone who “does not have an opinion on key political issues.”

• Getting Specific: Discussing abortion can be contentious, but three-quarters of singles will discuss this topic on a first date. Over 80% of singles are happy to talk about religion, gun control, immigration and marriage equality, too.
• Pop Culture & Sports: Don’t know a “safety” from a “hat trick?” No worries. Less than 20% of men and 23% of women care if a date knows about sports. And no need to keep up with the Kardashians, since only 10% of women and 11% of men care if a date follows celebrity and pop culture.

What’s Off the Table: Past relationships are dating landmines, as only 14% of singles will discuss an ex on a first date. Asking about sex with an ex will decrease your second-date chances by 40%. You may not get an honest answer anyway, as a quarter of singles admit to lying about sex with past lovers.

Menus and Makeouts: Almost 75% of singles prefer American cuisine on a first dinner date. But if you want to take a risk, go for sushi; it will boost your chances of a second date by 170%. As forbeverages, singles’ drink of choice is soda and/or iced tea (29%). However, if you want to lock in a second date, order a cocktail (and skip the wine or beer), as this will increase your second-date chances by 137%. Additionally, 50% of men and women think only kissing is appropriate on a ‘good’ first date, while 44% say that a kiss is inappropriate no matter what the circumstances. Only 15% of men and 7% of women expect a “make-out session” on a first date, and only 6% of men and 1% of women expect to have sex.

Political Reservations

• Republican Recipe: If you desire a second date with a Republican, your chances increase by 122% if you go to an expensive restaurant; eat sushi (115%) or Middle Eastern food (148%); talk about anything political (75%); order after-dinner drinks (111%); and/or “make out” (62%).
• Democratic Appetites: If you’re looking for a second date with a Democrat, order sushi to increase your chances by 126%; 35% if you order a cocktail; 81% if you order after-dinner drinks; 64% if you talk about marriage or anything political (80%).

Time of Day & How to Pay: Singles prefer to go on a date in the evening (60%), while only 22% prefer a date in the afternoon.  And Saturday is the best day of the week for a date (39%). Additionally, 50% of men and 36% of women agree that a man should pay on the first date. Men also expect a first date to cost $68.28 while women think $55.71 is the most appropriate price. Both sexes agree that a second date should cost a little more, but men expect the cost to be around $77 while women think $64 sounds about average.

EXES
Post-breakup behavior: Taking the ex out of sex, letting go and moving on

Defining the “ex:” Over 50% of singles believe you have to date more than three months to count someone as an ex, with 32% of women believing you have to date someone for over a year.

Taking the ex out of sex: Around 16% of singles have drunk-dialed an ex, with about half of those doing it two or fewer times. 32% of women have “creeped” on an ex through social media compared to 20% of men. An equal number of men and women have dreamed about sex with an ex (33%) and a quarter of singles have actually followed through.

Dating your friend’s ex?: Half of men and a quarter of women would date an ex’s friend, while about half of women and a third of men would be upset if a friend dated one of their exes. Additionally, half of men and 42% of women will stay friends with an ex.

Exes and O’s: Having 5+ exes increases the chances of having multiple orgasms by 103% (78% for men and 130% for women).

“For the sixth year in a row, Singles in America has redefined what we know about dating and relationships,” says Mandy Ginsberg, CEO of Match Group North America. “Our most recent data shows that dating online increases your chances of going on a first and second date in 2016 by 150%. It’s clear that we’ve reached a tipping point where online dating isn’t just another way to meet people – it’s the smartest way to meet people.”

For more detailed 2015 study findings on what U.S. singles seek in sex, love, romantic partners and political leaders, visit www.SinglesinAmerica.com and follow the social conversation at #SinglesinAmerica.

About Singles in America
Singles in America (SIA) was funded by Match and conducted by Research Now in association with renowned anthropologist Dr. Helen Fisher and evolutionary biologist Dr. Justin R. Garcia of The Kinsey Institute at Indiana University. The 2015 study is based on the attitudes and behaviors taken from a representative sample of 5,504 U.S. singles between the ages of 18 to 70+, and remains the most comprehensive annual survey of single Americans. For more information, visit www.SinglesinAmerica.com.

About Match
Founded in 1995, Match was the original dating website and pioneer of the online dating industry. Today, more than 20 years later, Match operates leading subscription-based online dating sites in 25 countries, eight languages and five continents and is responsible for more dates, relationships and marriages than any other website. Match is an operating business of Match Group (Nasdaq: MTCH) and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. For more information, visit http://www.match.com.

For more information:
Match: Amy Canaday, [email protected]
DKC: Eva Ross, [email protected]