Gen Z dating trends: research from apps like Tinder, Bumble and Coffee Meets Bagel shows they see it as less complicated than millennials
- Tinder finds Gen Z forgoes mind games like playing hard to get and giving mixed signals, prioritising self-love and personal fulfilment in people they look for
- Gen Z considers circumstances like ‘situationships’ as not dating whereas previous generations might have done, a Chinese University of Hong Kong expert says
Dating among Gen Zers – young adults in their early 20s – is less complicated compared with previous generations, according to a survey from dating app Tinder.
They have also become more reliant on dating apps and their definition of a date is a lot looser than before, experts say.
The survey found that Gen Z singles place more emphasis on self-care and mental health when looking for a partner and focus on “authenticity, openness and emotional well-being”.
They forgo mind games such as “playing hard to get, giving mixed signals and playing the field”, which three in four respondents aged between 33 and 38 admitted were common practice when they were younger.
“Gen Z is a cohort that prioritises qualities such as intentionality and transparency, with self-love and personal fulfilment being a primary consideration,” says Papri Dev, vice-president of Asia-Pacific communications at Tinder.
“Eighty per cent of 18- to 25-year-olds agree that their own self-care is their top priority when dating, and 79 per cent want prospective partners to do the same.”
