Research results show that individuals who meet their spouses on their own have higher marriage satisfaction than couples who meet through family or acquaintances. In particular, couples who met through family introductions tend to have lower satisfaction with their marriage than those who met through friends.
This study, published in the international journal 《Critical Humanistic Social Theory》, analyzed data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) collected from 2010 to 2020. According to the study, those who formed connections personally without intermediaries showed higher overall marriage satisfaction.
In various cultures, including China, parents or family have historically played a significant role in spouse selection. Factors such as social status, religion, and family background greatly influenced choices. However, with industrialization and urbanization, there has been an increase in cases where relationships are formed naturally through workplaces, schools, and social gatherings. Recently, meeting spouses through online platforms, social media, and mobile apps has also become commonplace.
The researcher Ding Xueshen from Xi'an Polytechnic University classified the ways spouses first meet into 'voluntary encounters' and 'involuntary encounters' to investigate the impact of these two methods on marriage satisfaction. Voluntary encounters refer to situations where relationships are formed naturally in places like schools or workplaces, or where connections are made in online spaces not intended for marriage. In contrast, involuntary encounters include introductions by family, relatives, or acquaintances, as well as online platforms aimed at marriage, TV matchmaking programs, and large-scale blind date events.
The data used for the analysis was collected from 25 administrative regions in China, including responses from a total of 12,883 participants. The research team surveyed how participants met their spouses and their relationship satisfaction.
The analysis revealed that the group that met their spouses through voluntary encounters had higher satisfaction with marriage and cohabitation than the group that met through introductions. In particular, those who married through family arrangements showed lower satisfaction than those who married through friends. Additionally, those who met their spouses through online platforms not intended for dating also showed lower relationship satisfaction compared to those who met in person offline.
The research team emphasized that while these results show a correlation between the method of spouse selection and marriage satisfaction, it cannot be definitively concluded that any particular method of meeting directly determines the quality of marriage.
The research team stated, "Ultimately, marriage satisfaction depends on individual personality and the ongoing interaction between the two people," and explained, "The way individuals first meet their spouses is likely more of an indicator reflecting their overall behavioral tendencies in forming and maintaining relationships rather than an independent factor that determines the quality of marriage."
