SYDNEY, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- New research released on Tuesday, suggest that Australian online daters lower their standards when looking for a prospective mate, with many picking people who aren't even close to their listed desired traits.
The research conducted by the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) assessed 41,000 Australians between the ages of 18 and 80, and found major differences in what people said they wanted, and what they were willing to accept.
QUT behavioural economist Stephen Whyte said people don't contact those who match what they say their "ideal partner" is, rather, the preferences they give are often being ignored.
"Disclosure of ideal partner preferences is a widely offered and commonly used option for people creating a profile on online dating websites, but whether it's effective or useful in helping people find that special someone is unclear." Whyte said.
"This study provides quite unique findings in that people may state a preference for an ideal partner but they are more than happy to initiate contact with potential love interests that bear no resemblance whatsoever to that 'Mr or Mrs Perfect'they initially think they prefer over all others," Whyte added.
The study is the largest ever analysis of Australia's online dating scene, with 219,013 interactions of the 41,936 members of the dating website RSVP assessed.
