Whirlwind romance has infinitely been a trademark of movies and media; the wildly popular 50 Shades of Grey has coaxed women everywhere to forgo dinner and a movie in favor of handcuffs and bedposts. In a culture so inundated with the idea of fleeting affairs, it’s surprising that so many have asserted that they favor an approach to dating that involves vigilance over vigor.
The Daily Mail reported on results from a new research study that polled 100,000 British members of the dating website seekingarrangement.com to find out the average length of time partners took before broaching certain milestones in their romantic relationships:
"Participants in the new study revealed the average number of dates per week with a new partner was two, meaning that couples tend to say 'I love you' seven weeks into a relationship. First kisses tend to take place two dates or one week into the dating process, and the first time a couple has sex is, on average, after four dates to two weeks."
Introducing a girlfriend or boyfriend to friends and family took members an average of six weeks, and moving in with a partner took a respectably longer period at around 30 weeks into dating.
The results of the study describe a healthy approach to relationships, where the pace is not hurried but also not sluggish.
See: 6 reasons to avoid sex on the first date
Last year Baltimore Dating Examiner reported on the validity of love styles in sustaining romantic connections. Psychologists and sociologists often cite that courtships based on passion and physical attraction tend to fizzle as they fail to allow the relationship to evolve at a natural pace. Conversely, relationships that build anticipation and focus on nurturing a partnership rather than accelerating it are correlated with more long-term satisfaction.
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