A 2010 study showed that spring is the most popular time to end a relationship.¹ But are Kiwi break ups permanent? A new survey from premium dating site EliteSingles has revealed that a surprising amount of singles are willing to rekindle the sparks of an old flame.
* Nearly half of singles (48%) would go back to an old love if asked nicely
* 46% of Kiwis have had a partner dump them, then beg to come back
* 43% of men have dumped someone and regretted it, compared with 35% of women
* 55% of Kiwis think you should wait 1-3 months before dumping someone
* 13% think you should wait for 1-2 years (or even longer!)
Breaking up is hard to do
This spring, those regretting a rash romantic decision shouldn’t lose hope, for old flames yet can burn bright. Indeed, according to an EliteSingles study of 200 New Zealanders, a whopping 48% of singles still carry a torch for their ex-partners and would rekindle the romance if their ex asked nicely.
Baby come back
But are there that many singles who regret dumping someone? According to the survey, yes! Nearly half the Kiwis surveyed have been subjected to a boomerang break up, with 46% reporting that they’ve encountered an ex-partner who dumped them, then begged for a second chance.
Additionally, 38% have been guilty of such behaviour themselves. It seems men are slightly more likely than women to experience dumper’s remorse: 43% of Kiwi men admitting to breaking up with someone and regretting it, compared with 35% of Kiwi women.
Lost that loving feeling
Common wisdom says that, to avoid such regret, you should stop and think before pressing the relationship destruct button. But how long should you wait? The majority of Kiwis (55%) say up to three months. However, 13% think you should mull it over for one to two years (or even longer!).
Finally, women are slightly more in favour of ending a relationship early: 56% would dump someone during the first three months of relationship unhappiness, compared with 54% of men. Meanwhile, men are more likely to want to hold on to what they’ve got: 9% of men would want to wait at least two years before ending things, while just 3% of women feel the same.
For more on this study, including tips from psychologists on how to survive a break up and move on, please see our in-depth article
1 http://edition.cnn.com/2010/TECH/social.media/11/02/facebook.breakups/
Press contact: Sophie Watson
EliteSingles Research, PR and Editorial
About the author: The EliteSingles Press Team