NEW YORK — Of the 59% of the global population in a solid attachment – married or in a domestic partnership – two thirds (63%) say their relationship with their partner or spouse gives them the greatest happiness, a new Ipsos/Reuters poll discovers.
Of those who are in that attachment, three in 10 (27%) say finding someone to be with would bring them greatest happiness. Of the 41% not in that attachment, almost half (45%) say so.
Having a good sex life provides the greatest happiness for 38% of those who are married or living with their partners and for 34% of those who are not.
Ipsos interviewed 21 248 people in 23 countries from December 6 to 19, 2011. Of those, 59% (12 627) are married or in domestic partnerships and 41% (8 621) are not.
Married People Not Looking Far for Happiness this Valentine’s Day
Six in 10 (63%) of those in 23 countries who are married or in domestic partnerships say their relationship with their partner or spouse ‘does or could give me greatest happiness’. The rate is four in 10 (39%) for those who are not married or in domestic partnerships.
The greatest proportions of those in committed relationships who say their partner gives them greatest happiness are found in South Africa (82%), Turkey (80%), Mexico (79%), Hungary (71%) and Spain (71%) while the lowest proportions are found in South Korea (40%), Japan (40%), China (46%) and Poland (48%).
Married People Look To Their Sex Lives for Happiness More Than Singles
Four in 10 (38%) of married global respondents report that having a good sex life does or could bring them greatest happiness, while three in 10 (34%) of those who are not married say so.
Married Brazilians lead the charge on this point of view with six in 10 (57%) saying a good sex life does or could bring them greatest happiness. After Brazil, those most likely to say so are married people from Mexico (53%), Russia (52%) and Turkey (52%). Only 15% of those married or in partnerships in Japan report this sentiment, followed next at the bottom of the list by South Korea (19%), Great Britain (25%) and Australia (28%).
Half of Singles Pitch Their Happiness on Finding Someone
Half (45%) of those who are not currently married or in domestic partnerships say finding someone to be with does or could bring them greatest happiness. Interestingly, 27% of those that are currently in those relationships also say finding someone to be with would bring them greatest happiness.
Seven in 10 (69%) of single Indonesians feel this way about finding someone, with Turkey (57%), Mexico (56%) and Russia (54%) next in line. Single Japanese people are least likely to say finding someone to be with would bring them greatest happiness (27%), with South Korea (33%), Great Britain (33%) and Italy (34%) joining them at the bottom of the list.
Looking for Love:
Global Citizens, in rank order, who say finding someone to be with would bring them greatest happiness:
| GLOBAL TOTAL | 45% |
| Indonesia | 69% |
| Turkey | 57% |
| Mexico | 56% |
| Russia | 54% |
| Hungary | 52% |
| South Africa | 51% |
| Brazil | 49% |
| France | 48% |
| Argentina | 47% |
| Germany | 47% |
| Canada | 46% |
| US | 46% |
| Australia | 44% |
| Sweden | 44% |
| Belgium | 43% |
| China | 41% |
| Spain | 40% |
| India | 40% |
| Poland | 39% |
| Italy | 34% |
| Great Britain | 33% |
| South Korea | 33% |
| Japan | 27% |
About the Survey
These are some of the findings of an Ipsos Global @dvisor poll conducted between December 6 and December 19, 2011. The survey instrument is conducted monthly in 24 countries via the Ipsos Online Panel system. The countries reporting herein (23) are Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the United States of America.
