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27 May 2009
Taipei
More than seventy percent of Taiwanese single people would like to meet that ‘special somebody, and get married and settle down – either now or at some time in the future. Forty-five percent of singles aged 25 to 35 would like to get married at their current age. The willingness to get married is stronger among single men, especially those aged 36 to 49, while close to two-thirds of 36 to 49 year-old single women express their unwillingness to marry, according to a recent survey by The Nielsen Company Taiwan Ltd.
The Nielsen Company in Taiwan conducted the survey from April 11 to 17, 2009, interviewing 1,033 online respondents aged from 15 to 49.
According to the Nielsen survey, forty-five percent of single Taiwanese aged 25 to 35 are ready for marriage now. Taiwanese men in the 36 to 49 age bracket are at their most eligible; with just over half (53%) saying they were ready now for marriage, compared to only one in five Taiwanese women who were of the same frame of mind.
’Our survey found that the institution of marriage seems to hold less appeal for Taiwanese women these days. Four in five men plan to marry at some stage, compared to only two in three women, and the older the woman, the less they buy into the concept of wedded bliss – close to two thirds (64%) of women over the age of 35 have no desire to marry at all,‘ said Angela Wang, Director, The Nielsen Company Taiwan Ltd.
’Moreover, when we asked married Taiwanese women ‘if given another opportunity to decide’, they’d repeat the experience, more than forty percent said they were unlikely to do it a second time around, yet close to nine in ten (87%) married males would not change their decision to get married. Traditionally, in Taiwan, a woman received an education and when she married, was expected by society to move into her husband’s family and to do the housework, as well as take care of kids and parents-in-law, while married men were required simply to enjoy their marriage without personal sacrifice or big changes to their lives. Our survey results indicate that women aren’t so keen live the lives their mothers did,’ added Wang.
BOYFRIEND, GIRLFRIEND, THE MARRYING KIND?
‘Being responsible (63%)’, ‘without any vices (47%)’, and ‘income (38%)’ are the three most important things single women look for in a boyfriend; whereas single men put equal importance to a woman’s ‘good temper (43%)’, ‘good looks’ and ‘caring (both 42%)’.
While women correctly understand the importance of looks (73%) and caring (53%) for men, they over-estimate the importance that men put on body shape (60%). Men also understand the importance of a man’s career success, eg income (60%) and proficiency in job (39%) to women, but under-estimate the importance that ‘responsibility (39%)’ means for women.
The Nielsen survey found women are fairly consistent when it comes to what makes a great boyfriend or husband - ‘responsibility’ and ‘status/income’. Men on the other hand have different criteria when choosing a wife: ‘gentle and caring’, ‘good tempered’, and ‘being good to my parents’ soon overrides the girl’s looks.
AGE NO BARRIER
Single Taiwanese men are more open to relationships between older women and younger men than Taiwanese women are to the idea of dating a younger man. Close to eighty percent of single males would date older girlfriends, while over sixty percent of single women would date younger men. When considering marriage, three quarters of men would consider marrying an older woman, while over sixty percent of single, marriage-desiring women will consider marrying a younger man. However, only six percent of both males and females will consider an age gap larger than eight years.
“It’s not surprising women are less keen to date younger men – they’re looking for status and an older man may have more to offer, and may have doubts about a younger man’s intentions. Men on the other hand, put more store on appearance and looks, and may have more concerns about an older woman’s looks,” added Wang.
About The Nielsen Company
The Nielsen Company is a global information and media company with leading market positions in marketing and consumer information, television and other media measurement, online intelligence, mobile measurement, trade shows and business publications (Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Adweek). The privately held company is active in more than 100 countries, with headquarters in New York, USA. For more information, please visit www.nielsen.com.
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