What Does America Think About Breakups? Survey Says…

To get a better understanding of the how's and why's of breakups, the Yahoo! Personals survey looked at attitudes, preferences, and experiences of a broad spectrum of people throughout the United States. The data provides a fascinating glimpse into the breakup cycle, from the best (and worst) ways to deliver the blow, to how people act during and after a relationship ends.

The online survey was conducted by Yahoo! Personals in July 2006. Respondents were 18+ year-old visitors to Yahoo! Personals. In total, over 2,500 people from all across the United States took the 24-question survey. Here's what we found out:

BREAKUP EXPERIENCES:

THOUGHT ABOUT IT: In the past five years 56 percent had considered breaking up but did not.

SHE DID IT TO ME: Slightly more women are breaking up with men than the other way around. 81 percent of women have broken up with someone in the past five years vs. 77 percent of men.

ABOUT DATING IN GENERAL:

BEST DAY FOR A FIRST DATE: 35 percent think that Saturday is the best day for a first date, and 26 percent say that Friday is the best day for a first date.

WE MET THROUGH A FRIEND:

71 percent most trust a friend to set them up on a blind date.

40+ men are the most likely to trust their co-worker to set them up on a blind date.

Women 18-29 and women 50+ are more likely to trust their family to set them up on a blind date than others.

Coastal respondents (West Coast, East Coast) were more likely than southerners to trust a family member to set them up.

NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN: 42 percent are at their best on a second date (unless you're from the Midwest, in which case it's the third date).

DOING ANYTHING LATER?: 65 percent think you should make a date a few days in advance, and 27 percent think you should make the date one week in advance.

SHE'S A KEEPER: About 50 percent of daters give people three to five dates before they decide how they feel (though West Coasters tend to judge a little quicker).

WHEN IS IT OFFICIAL?: Men are quicker than women to consider their date to be their girlfriend/boyfriend. Especially men in their 40s. 16 percent of men vs. 8 percent of women consider their date their boyfriend/girlfriend after three to five dates. Men on the West Coast are significantly more likely than other men to have exclusivity before considering someone their boyfriend/girlfriend.

FIRST-DATE FLUBS:

On your first date, if your date said...

"When we have kids" - 48 percent of people would be turned off/uninterested. More women than men would be turned off/uninterested (53 percent of women vs. 42 percent of men).

"I'm not the marrying kind" - 47 percent would be turned off/uninterested, with significantly more women than men feeling this way (57 percent of women vs. 34 percent of men).

"You remind me of my ex" - 61 percent would be turned off/uninterested, with significantly more women than men (66 percent of women vs. 54 percent of men).

BREAKING UP:

NOT FEELING IT: 48 percent say conflicting views of the future and 40 percent say feeling unfulfilled/in a rut would lead them to reassess their dating life and move on from a relationship.

IT'S IN THE AIR: Daters in their 20s and 30s are more likely to reassess their dating life during the summer than older daters.

BE SOMEONE ELSE'S VALENTINE: Younger daters are more likely to reassess their dating life on Valentine's Day (13 percent for 18-29 years old vs. 9 percent for all others).

Who daters listen to the most for advice before ending a relationship differs by age and somewhat by region:

48 percent say conflicting views of the future and 40 percent say feeling unfulfilled/in a rut would lead them to reassess their dating life and move on from a relationship.

THANKS MOM: People in their 20s are more likely to listen to dating advice from family and parents.

THANKS DOC: 20 percent of daters 50+ listen to the advice of a therapist the most before ending a relationship. Daters 50+ are least likely to listen most to the advice of friends before ending relationships.

West Coasters are most likely to listen to the advice of friends vs. daters from other regions (62 percent of West Coasters vs. 49 percent of East Coasters, 55 percent of Midwesterners, and 54 percent of Southerners).

SAD BIRTHDAY TO ME: 35 percent think birthdays (your own or your boyfriend's/ girlfriend's) are the worst occasion for a breakup.

UNHAPPY HOLIDAYS: 30 percent think the December holidays are the worst time to break up.

SUBJECT: "GOODBYE": 31 percent think an email sent to work is the worst way to break up with someone, while 27 percent think through a friend/family member is the worst way.

READ THE SIGNS: BEFORE BREAKING UP WITH SOMEONE...

62 percent are likely to avoid the other person.

40 percent would go online to check out their options.

38 percent would have a drink to loosen up.

31 percent would spend one last night of hurrah together.

AFTER BREAKING UP WITH SOMEONE…

76 percent will immerse themselves in work.

73 percent will go online to check out other options.

50 percent will take themselves on a vacation.

37 percent will go out and have a few too many drinks.

23 percent will cut him/her out of all their photos.

GETTING BACK IN THE GAME:

42 percent of respondents would wait more than a month before dating again.

Following a breakup 37 percent of respondents would search for their date online to get more information.

18-to-29-year-olds are more likely to play their favorite song on repeat than other daters to prepare for their first date after a breakup. (18 percent of 18-to-29-year-olds vs. 11 percent of total population). Older daters are more likely to do this than younger daters -- 55 percent of 50+ daters would do this vs. just 22 percent of 18-to-29-year-old daters.

Source:Hindustanis.org