2008 Dating Year In Review

Its been a busy year for singles and dating couples this year; a tremendous amount of research has been released, some odd and fascinating stories have gone down, and we've even had a couple of heated debates on this blog about dating-related issues. In keeping with the spirit of the year-end review that many TV shows and blogs seem to run this time of year, I've compiled what I think is the best of the best dating-related data for 2008. If you think I've missed something important, feel free to comment.

Dating Safety

The year started off with a discussion about internet dating scams (or "romance" scams), and the topic came up again in November with another series of scams. Online Personals Fraud also shared their recently-released case study on the subject, a study was released showing that email has higher incidence of lying, and a free website was created to check to see if your date is a registered sex offender.

Most Talked About

The most talked about blog posting this year? Dating Younger Men. The next-closest postings were simple yet frustrating questions from forum members, asking Why Ask and Not Call? and, Is Living With the Parents a Turn Off? My personal use of pheromones also attracted some attention.

News You Can Use

A tremendous number of studies and research was released this year that is of use to singles and dating couples, and I've tried to blog about it as I've come across it. Some of the more notable studies included what generally people look for in a relationship (including teen boys), where to meet women, how to predict cheating, and the consequences of buying a bad holiday gift.

Dating in the Media

Quite a few TV shows focused on singles and their dating relationships this year; Unhitched, MTV's The Pickup Artist, Momma's Boys, Farmer Wants a Wife, and even a social networking-based online love story called Story.Oh! As well, several celebrities' dating antics made the news as well, including a fan who bought a date with Scarlet Johansson, Matthew McConaughey going public about not wanting to marry just because his girlfriend was pregnant with their child, and Matthew Perry using an online dating site to find love.

Dating, 21st Century Style

Some unusual methods of dating and relating made the news this year, including one couple who told their friends about their breakup by blogging, detecting your date's capacity to tell the truth using a service called LoveDetect, and freebie online speed dating site WooMe.

The Economics of Dating

With many people tightening their purse strings this year, the cost of dating became more of a conversation piece. Studies like the one that showed women with higher IQs find a man's earning ability less important, or that women find the economic struggles more of a threat to their partnership were sobering. However, those studies were countered with others like the one that said a woman wearing red increased both her attractiveness and the amount of money spent on a date.