Expert reveals what it means if someone is taking a while to reply to your messages
It's not always a bad sign, and there can be a good reason behind it
You're swiping right or matching potential dates on a dating app, and all is going well with the small talk until they stop replying.
Sound familiar? I'm glad it's not just me that gets ghosted...
In fact, according to a survey last year, 17.45 percent of men using an online dating platform had ghosted someone, compared with 19.2 percent of females. An average of 25 percent of adults using dating have reported being 'ghosted' - meaning it's pretty common to match, chat and then hear nothing.
Advert
And according to the dating platform Tinder, 53 percent of under 30s are using dating apps to find a connection and with that comes messaging, replying and not replying.
It can be pretty disappointing to not get a response and even get 'ghosted' by someone you thought you'd found a connection with - whether you start wondering if they've had an emergency, lost their phone or even just moved on and started a relationship with someone else.
Body Language Expert Adrianne Carter has since given her expertise, and explained why your match might sometimes leave you hanging for days - and it's not as bad as you might think.
Carter explained that daters 'often assume' if someone they've matched with online is 'slow to respond' that they're 'not that into you'.
That can mean a swift unmatch or already creating a bad first impression - but Carter says we shouldn't write potential dates off just yet.
She further explains: "While quick responders indicate that someone is organised and attentive, delayed responders who are sporadic with their communication patterns could actually be more introverted, valuing deep, meaningful interactions over a high quantity of exchanges."
Tinder also found 77 percent of members aged between 18-24 years old reply to a crush 'within 30 minutes' which, according to Carter, highlights 'their desire to really show their cards and not play games'.
All the dating, likes, super likes and everything else are great, but for most part, the 'top communication style' for Tinder users was still ranked as chatting in person.
It seems one of the best ways to find out if someone does like you, is to move the conversation offline and into real life where you can see what someone is truly like.
Carter explains: "It's no surprise that you might find that the spark is there, you just need to connect with them IRL to really see it come to life."
She also urged users not to 'always take a message at face value'.
So it's probably best to just arrange that coffee date ASAP.
Topics: Life
Niamh Spence