OnePoll conducted a study that found that many Americans are focusing on Valentine’s Day as they believe it could be a turning point for their relationships. Among the poll of 2000 Americans, about one-third agreed that this day could either ruin or build their relationships.
The researchers also found that men held this sentiment more deeply. Many people think that Valentine’s Day is a silly holiday that forces couples to spend money on each other when they don’t need to.
Americans had an ex on standby
However, many take it seriously and view it as a way to spend time with their loved ones. Moreover, Americans seemed to take Valentine’s Day more seriously this year, indicating that the bare minimum wouldn’t be enough for many partners.
The researchers also found that 43% of the respondents would reunite with a particular ex if they could. Among those who felt this way, 52% were men. Women were even less likely to hold this attitude (36%), while 33% of Americans who identified with another gender agreed.
About 65% of Gen Z were more likely to return to a particular ex if they ended their current relationships. Millennials were less likely to feel this way (49%).
The inability of Americans to let go of the past was supported by another poll from the University of Oklahoma. This study found that many people had an ex on the backburner if their relationship didn’t work out.
Keeping an ex on standby caused negative feelings
The team also discovered that many people got back with their exes during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, people who kept a former partner around while in another relationship often developed negative feelings about the ex.
One of the study authors, Dr. John Banas, cautioned people to avoid having an ex on standby as if it often led to negative emotions for them. For this reason, it wasn’t worth it to keep them around.
While the One Poll study showed that men were more likely to have an ex in mind if their current relationships don’t work, the study from Oklahoma discovered that women were more likely to have sex with their exes (54%).
