Money can’t buy me love! Personality is more important than finances when it comes to dating

It seems The Beatles were right after all when they sang ‘money can’t buy me love’!

A new study has found that personality has become more important than finances when it comes to dating.

Researchers from the University of York and the University of Essex analyzed more than a million lonely hearts advertisements around the world.

They found that in the US, France and Canada, economic factors in choosing a partner have declined sharply, while finances remain important for single people in India.

“Our study shows that personality is becoming increasingly important in Western countries such as the United States, but we don’t see the same trend in India,” says co-researcher Dr Quentin Lippmann.

“Once India’s economy develops further and the current generation becomes more financially secure, their preference for personality factors may also change.”

In their study, the team analyzed lonely hearts ads from major news outlets in Canada, France and India, as well as data from publications from 1950 to 1995, and ads from 41 regional newspapers from Canada and the US in 1995.

The team focused on the language used in the ads, which they grouped into four different categories.

‘Economic’ language focused on a potential partner’s financial situation, while ‘personality’ related to traits such as openness and extroversion.

Meanwhile, “physical” language expressed a preference for body types, while “taste” language related to hobbies and habits.

Their analysis found that personality grew in importance in Western countries between 1950 and 1995, while economic factors declined.

In 1995, 40 to 45 percent of the words women used to describe their ideal partner fell into the “personality” category, while only 10 percent mentioned finances.

Similarly, 35 to 40 percent of the words in men’s ads focused on personality, while only five percent related to economic factors.

However, in India, both finance and personality remained important issues during the same period.

Until the 1970s, about 35 percent of words in ads related to finance – and by 1995, this had risen to 60 percent.

There was some gender disparity in the advertising, with a greater increase in the importance of economic factors in ads placed by women than in ads placed by men.

Khushboo Surana, co-author of the study, said: ‘The data we found supports Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory.

‘In this context, material needs – ie financial factors – must be satisfied before you can focus on the immaterial ones, such as personality traits.

“It is possible that, unlike in the West, people’s first-order needs are still not met, which is why we see a focus on economic criteria.”

Dr. Lipmann believes that as India’s economy continues to develop, we may see a shift in preference for personality factors.

“This would align them with the trends we’re seeing in the Western countries we sampled,” he concluded.