(NewsNation) — A British dating show that has recently been made available to Americans is shining a spotlight on the dating culture in America.
The number of unmarried Americans has steadily increased over the past two decades, with the new average well over 30% of adults remaining unmarried, according to Pew Research.
That’s despite more effort by many to find love — some even participating in TV shows with premises that may seem outlandish. A show called “Naked Attraction,” where singles choose a date after seeing contestants completely stripped down, is another such dating show.
The British dating show has quickly become one of America’s top streaming choices, joining a slew of other reality shows featuring people trying to find love, according to Variety.
And for the millions in the market, dating apps remain a staple choice. The industry is highly profitable, drawing an estimated 3-in-10 adults.
Despite more people paying more, the marriage rate has been dropping. Contributing factors include more divorced people who are living longer and choosing to remain single.
But according to one dating expert, apps have changed the game, because singles are getting pickier.
“It’s paralysis of choice, you know, you go out on one date, it might be good enough. Whereas 30 years ago, you would have said, ‘Yeah, I’ll give that person a second date.’ But now you can go home and you’ve got 10 more matches in your inbox,” Bela Ghandi, the founder of The Smart Dating Academy, said.
Ghandi calls app matches “dopamine hits” that keep people from giving potential partners a second chance.
As most adults live away from relatives and away from their hometowns and communities, dating apps remain a popular choice for singles to forge romantic connections.
Researchers said this is why the marriage rate could continue to decline as people push off the entire idea of marriage.
According to the National Center for Family and Marriage Research, the number of first marriages among women over 40 has jumped 75% since 1990.
And while Naked Attraction has been running in Britain for over six years now, the executive producer said a few couples are still together, but there haven’t been any marriages.