#CosmoExclusive: The Love Report 2023 gives insights into the upcoming dating trends

Dating, in 2023, is not as simple as it used to be. From climate change to TikTok trends, there are a lot of factors that impact the way we meet, connect, and bond with each other. Meeting someone the old-fashioned way (at a bar or through a common friend or parents) is dying a slow, painful death. Now, to find a potential partner we must swipe through hundreds of candidates until we find one that stands out in some way. It's tough, yes. But is it impossible? Not if you've done your research. And luckily for you, we've done all the legwork. 

In an attempt to know more about upcoming dating trends and GenZ and Millennials preferences, we surveyed 100+ people to curate Cosmo India's Love Report. Are situationships a thing of the past? What are the top three deal breakers? Are people open to dating someone who doesn't identify as the same sexuality as them? Scroll down to know! 

Situationship v/s relationship: Which is the generational preference? 

When we asked people whether they would want to date without a label (aka a situationship) or be in a stable, committed relationship, the consensus was not what we were expecting. As many as 84 per cent of people said they would rather be in a relationship, while about 16 per cent of people said they prefer being in a situationship. "A relationship now because I think I've been through enough situationships" says someone we interviewed. Does this mean the reign of label-free dating has finally ended?

The impact of casual sex  

We asked people if a casual, no-strings-attached kind of sexual encounter leaves them feeling guilty or ashamed. About 52 per cent of them checked 'Yes' while a close 48 per cent people checked 'no'. 
 

The top three qualities most preferred in a partner  

We asked Cosmo readers what the top-three qualities they look for in a potential partner are. Among options like goal-oriented, confident, good looking and a good sense of humour, the three that popped up with the most votes are emotionally available (surprise, surprise!) with 57 votes (49.1 per cent), kind-hearted with 56 (50 per cent) votes and respectful with 63 (55.3 per cent) votes. 

Not just physical but emotional infidelity is a deal-break too

While there are various forms of infidelity, we asked people whether they considered emotional infidelity to be as much of a deal-breaker as physical infidelity. Seventy two per cent people agreed that emotionally cheating on someone is as bad as stepping out on them physically.    

The impact the pandemic had on relationships  

The Covid-19 pandemic overturned every aspect of our lives, including how we view relationships. This is clear by the consensus we received when we asked our readers how the pandemic impacted their relationships. About three-fourth of them (74.6 per cent) said it made them more aware of their emotions and their personal boundaries. Not surprising, TBH. 

Using tools and toys to enhance the sexual experience  

Would you partake in ASMR sex, role-playing, sexual games or toys to deepen your experience? Our audience came to a unanimous vote – 85 per cent people would be open to using these tools to further spice up their sex life. 

Top deal-breakers  

When we asked people to pick their top three reasons to break up with someone (aka what they considered to be deal-breakers), we expected cheating to come out on top and it did with 96 votes (84.2 per cent). Infidelity was followed by someone being disrespectful (86 votes aka 75.4 per cent), emotional unavailability (61 votes aka 53.5 per cent) and finally, bad hygiene (48 votes 42.1per cent). Do you agree with these top picks? 

Green flags on a dating app   

While dating apps are like a shopping catalogue of potential partners, picking the good ones from the bad can be tricky. We asked our readers what the three green flags are that they keep an eye out for. 95 (83.3 per cent) people said that being clear about what one wants is the biggest green flag. This was followed by having a funny and unique conversational opener and if the potential match has shared their interests in their bio instead of just pictures with friends or their dog. 

Dating someone who doesn’t identify as the same sexuality as you  

We asked people if they would be open to dating someone who doesn't identify as the same sexuality as them. 42 per cent of people said they would, 40.5 per cent said they would not and 17.5 per cent of people are sitting on the fence. 
 

Does social media have a negative impact on relationships? 

Do you think social media has complicated the dating experience? While 40.7 per cent of people agree that it has, 25.3 per cent of people said that social media doesn't have a negative impact on their relationships. The rest 34 per cent are still deciding. 

Monogamy continues to be the norm 

Coming in as no surprise, 65.8 per cent people said that they wouldn't be comfortable being in a non-monogamous relationship. 14.9 per cent of people said they would while 19.3 per cent of people might or might not be. 

Condoms continue to be the first preference of contraception 

A whopping 93.9 per cent said their first choice of contraception is condoms. Nineteen people chose contraceptive pills and only seven people opted for female condoms (we need more awareness about this). What is your first preference?