My Valentine: E-Cupid’s Guide To Your Dream Mate
Whether you are planning to cozy up to your mate literally or virtually on Valentine’s Day, one caveat cannot be denied, e-cupid's true rank is officially set: online dating is first-runner up to all other forms of soul-mate searching, elbowed out only by the most popular “meeting through mutual friends” scenario.
“Online dating has become the second most popular way for couples to meet, behind only meeting through friends” according to a new analysis of research, co-authored by Harry Reis, professor of psychology at the University of Rochester.
Reis says: “the internet holds great promise for helping adults form healthy and supportive romantic partnerships, and those relationships are one of the best predictors of emotional and physical health.
Naturally there are several cautionary reasons to remaining pragmatic, using good judgment and wisdom to sift through misleading claims found on some dating sites. And, here are four common pitfalls to avoid:
Number 1: False Self Projections
Your intended soul-mate may just be fatter, shorter, financially challenged or just not the person presented in the online photo. Misrepresentation of physical attributes and financial security are all too common pitfalls of online dating.
Number 2: Misleading attitudes and virtues
He may not be the family man as professed online or she, the lead vocalist in the church choir, in fact, men and women often behave differently online. We tend to represent ourselves in a better light than we really are.
Number 3: Rejection Online
Online dating can resemble a shopping list with several subsets to choose from. In the words of one online dater: “Where else can you go in a matter of 20 minutes [and] look at 200 women who are single and want to go on dates?”
Number 4: Waiting too Long to Meet
As the relationship deepens online so are hopes and expectations. The longer you wait to meet the more cemented are the fantasies, the more likely you are to become disappointed.
If e-cupid is your window to romance this upcoming Valentine’s Day, consider obtaining a few more guidelines from proponents of this burgeoning electronic dating system for safe online dating.
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