PALO ALTO, Calif., Aug. 16 (UPI) -- Having Internet access in the home increases the likelihood that adults will be in a romantic relationship, U.S. researchers say.
The Internet is especially important for bringing together same-sex couples, and could someday replace friends as the main way Americans meet romantic partners, a report given at a meeting of the American Sociological Association said.
A study found 82.2 percent of participants who had Internet access at home also had a spouse or romantic partner, compared to a 62.8-percent partnership rate for adults who did not have Internet access, the report said.
"Our research suggests that Internet access has an important role to play in helping Americans find mates," Michael J. Rosenfeld, an associate professor of sociology at Stanford University and the lead author of the study, said.
The study also found the Internet is the one social arena unambiguously gaining significance as a place where couples meet. UPI
