According to eHarmony nine million single people are chasing a type they are not suited to, preventing them from finding the one.
We discuss if its worth even having a 'type'
They found that 69% of people who are in relationships aren't with who they considered to be their 'type' when they were single. Most singles revealed they won't date people who don't fit into their list of desired criteria. The sad fact is that singles may be missing out on 'the one' because they are too specific in what they want in a partner.
The most important criteria for many Brits is distance- 35% would not consider travelling to see someone who was too far out of their ideal range.
For women- they refrain from dating people who are shorter or younger than them.
Despite the rumours that men prefer an older woman, 30% would not entrain the thought of dating someone who exceeded their years. And men actually prefer brunettes to blondes, even though the movies tell us otherwise.
eHarmony.co.uk psychologist Dr. Linda Papadopoulos said: "The idea of a 'type' is shorthand for similarities between the people you find attractive. However, this often becomes a checklist of things that are based on superficial features - such as height or age - and not the core values and personality aspects that really allow us to connect with people. These dimensions of compatibility are harder to identify and describe - things like emotional temperament or even one's moral compass, yet they are crucial for a meaningful relationship."
"Singles need to be careful and not just go after what they think is their 'type', setting up emotional barriers against anyone else that doesn't fit their wish-list. These criteria are often derived from societal norms, influences from friends and family and may have little to do with what really makes a relationship work. You may think things like height are really important, but they will soon be forgotten when you meet someone you really click with."
While many singles are too specific about what they want form a partner, others have no idea what they desire or are shying away from a type who has hurt them in the past, as a fifth of women go weak at the knees for so called 'bad boys'.
People who are in long term relationships say that ruling out potential loved ones based only on type is not necessarily productive. They believe that being open minded and being more lenient over things such as age, job and eye colour may be the key to finding the one.
eHarmony.co.uk expert Jemima Wade comments: " Just because someone's your type, doesn't mean the two of you are truly compatible. Past studies show that when comparing passionate love versus compassionate love, your underlying personality and relationship style similarities come out on top when it comes to building a lasting relationship."
"That's why at eHarmony.co.uk we match members on 29 measures of compatibility, helping people to find better matches and more likeminded people; something that goes far beyond someone's hair colour!"
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