SINGAPORE: Half of singles polled in a recent survey said they are not currently dating, but experts are urging them to be proactive.
Results from the 2021 Marriage and Parenthood Survey, which were released on Monday (October 10), showed that among those currently not dating, the top reasons cited were having a limited social circle, not not have many opportunities to meet potential partners, and their preference to leave meetings to chance.
Ms. Michelle Goh, owner of dating agency CompleteMe, noted that being approached in the supermarket or on the bus is not common in Asian culture, which reduces the instances of such chances of meeting a partner.
But relying on chance doesn’t necessarily mean expecting to meet a partner without getting “out there,” she said.
“People tell me (they) want to leave it to chance and fate, but, you see, being ‘swept right’, both at the same time, is also fate,” she said. told CNA938’s Asia First. She was referring to mobile dating apps that typically require users to swipe their screen to the right to indicate interest in another user’s profile.
She added that even when it comes to organized events, there is an element of fate, as it is not possible to know who will attend – even a potential partner.
The survey also showed that among single respondents who are not currently dating, 38% had never dated before.
The survey, which interviewed more than 5,800 Singapore citizens and permanent residents aged 21 to 45 between February and June last year, was commissioned by the National Population and Talent Division (NPTD), a unit under the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
FIND POTENTIAL PARTNERS ONLINE
The NPTD described the proportion of single respondents who have never dated before and who are not proactive in dating as “significant”.
Also speaking to CNA938’s Asia First, Dr. Mathew Mathews, one of the research consultants for the survey, made the case for finding potential partners online.
The senior researcher at the Institute of Policy Studies pointed to survey results which showed that of those who dated, 29% said they met their partner through online channels. This was more than double the 13% in 2016.
“Involving someone else or another system to try to help you make those connections — you’ve seen those trends evolve over the years,” he said.