2. Love

Although people say that they do not fall in love as easily as 20 years ago, respondents between 18 and 54 years of age reported more occasions of falling in love than did those interviewed in 1971. In 1992 the average number was 3.3 persons, having been 2.9 in 1971. The change occurred mainly in age groups 35-54. In both studies, men reported falling in love more frequently than women.

Now, the situation of the Finns is better than before, in the sense that they are subjects of love more often than they were 20 years ago. According to the previous study 59% of men and 67% of women, according to the present one 72% of men and 78% of women thought that someone really loved them at the time of the study. Especially men reported a growing tendency to be in love themselves.

The difference between the sexes has also decreased. Earlier 66% of men and as many as 76% of women said that they were in love with someone at the moment, now corresponding percentages are 78% and 79%. Thus, men love a little more often than they feel themselves loved. Women love and are loved equally. The portion of the loving and the loved is related to social background. Youngish, married, educated persons who value religion and use alcohol think that they are loved and love more frequently than average, even if the influence of other factors is considered at the MC analysis.

A MC (Multiple Classification) analysis has been applied for the analysis of variations of sex life by means of a six-way breakdown by gender, age, marital status, education, religiosity and use of alcohol. The influence of each explaining variable was standardized when calculating deviations as related to other explaining factors. Social group and income are also used as background variables. Information on income and occupation were coded differently in 1992 and in 1971; their relevance for sex life cannot therefore be shown in comparisons between the two materials.

Being loved and loving are less related to age and marital status than before. Older and unmarried people (of whom some cohabit or have another type of permanent relationship) get more love and feel more love than before. The impact of education and religion has increased slightly. The higher educated and those who value religion more than others get and give more love than others. Those who use more alcohol also more frequently love and are loved. This connection remained unchanged from the earlier study. The last-mentioned result can be interpreted by refering to the fact that in Finland the use of alcohol is linked to a nontraditional, liberal style of life.

As they get older, from 55 upwards, people no longer feel to be a subject of love, as they were younger. Especially elderly women do not have anyone to love. In many cases they are widowed.

A comparison of the results also brings forth the question: Why do men in the age group 55-74 feel that they are loved much less (50%) than they love (70%)? Especially elderly married men report this as 26% love without being loved in return (12% of all men). Do elderly wives express their love badly, or are they fed up with their husbands? It is not very pleasant to love without getting a response. Both the sense of being loved and loving decrease proportionally with age in elderly women.