Internet couples click the best

Couples who meet through internet chat rooms tend to like each other better and for longer than those who first meet in public, it was claimed today.

It is because the anonymity of chatting online makes people more honest about their character and emotions. They do, however, tend to exaggerate their appearance by adding an inch of height or a cup size.

Dr Jeff Gavin, of Bath University, told the British Psychological Society Conference: "People online don't know where people are or who they are. Guys feel they can talk more about their feelings than they would in a face-to-face meeting."

The result was that by the time people met face-to-face - and it might take between six weeks and two years to get to that stage - they already knew each other extremely well.

This made the transition-from computer to face- to- face meeting "extremely smooth", said Dr Gavin.

Of 42 subjects - 20 female and 22 male - "only eight told downright lies", he added, "and they lied about everything: their height, physical appearance, occupation, income, background."

The rest, however, merely talked themselves up a little. Dr Gavin likened this to "using a virtual wonderbra or bottle of hair tint".

It's true: men grow up at 30
Find love with This is London!
Talk about relationships