Valentine's Day - Where Cupid's Arrow Strikes the Austrians

Cupid's arrow is most likely to hit Austrians within their circle of friends: around 20 percent met their first love, and 22 percent their current love this way. More than a quarter of respondents are still with their first great love, while one in four is currently not in a committed relationship, according to a recent survey by the Linz-based IMAS Institute in light of Valentine's Day on Friday.

The first partnership for many also resulted from parties (13 percent) or through education (ten percent), while the current love often ignited (17 percent) at the workplace. While for older individuals over 60, the first love came about through family or neighbors (eight and seven percent, respectively), for younger people (16 to 34 years), the internet or dating apps (eight percent) hold this significance, whereas in the age group over 35, only about one percent found their sweetheart this way.

Circle of Friends and Work

Current partnerships in all generations most frequently originated within the circle of friends (20 to 25 percent) and through work (16 to 20 percent). Then the age groups diverge: among 16 to 34-year-olds, online or dating apps follow with twelve percent, while for 35 to 59-year-olds, parties and celebrations (eight percent) as well as a bar, dating apps, or clubs/hobbies (all seven percent) are next, whereas those over 60 met their current favorite person in a club or hobby or on vacation (each eight percent) - dating apps played no role for them.

IMAS surveyed 1,013 people, statistically representative of the Austrian population aged 16 and over, in personal interviews from December 16, 2024, to January 8, 2025.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.