It’s one of the most hotly debated topics amongst the dating world: should the guy or girl make the first move? And thanks to a recent study, we now have a definitive answer (singletons, take note.)
More than 100 heterosexual couples who had found love were quizzed about their secret to success.
In one out of every three cases, the gal had messaged the guy first.
But turns out this isn’t just an online thing. According to dating expert Madeleine Mason, we’re also more likely to initiate relationships IRL too (even if it’s on a subconscious level.)
“Guys rarely pursue girls if they don’t get some signal of interest, whether a smile, nod, flicking of the hair,” she told The Independent.
“It seems to be an innate behaviour in our DNA. It occurs across most societies, so it may not be so different in an online context.”
However, Mason stresses that these results must be taken with a grain of salt as each journey to love is different.
“Data helps to reflect on how one is in relation to that and whether there may be things you can change,” she said. “But they are just numbers and do not apply to everyone.”
This article originally appeared on Women’s Health.