“What is clear from this research is that a surprising number of Americans now meet their spouse on-line,” the research states, and “Meeting a spouse on-line is, on average, associated with slightly higher marital satisfaction and lower rates of marital break-up than meeting a spouse through traditional (off-line) venues.”
The authors point to previous research that indicates that people may be more honest when interacting online to explain the findings. Also, the pool of prospective partners is likely larger online, and those on online dating sites may be more focused on finding a long-term mate.
“It is possible that individuals who met their spouse online may be different in personality, motivation to form a long-term marital relationship, or some other factor,” lead author John Cacioppo said in a press release.