Sydney, Jan 15 (IANS): People dating online are more likely to date those with the same level of education as them, but they care less about an intellectual match as they get older, a new research found.

The study showed that more educated people tend to care less about matching the same level of education as they get older.

There was also a difference in the way in which men and women look at education levels in potential partners, and also how this changes depending on the life stage of the participants.

"Older women in particular have a greater likelihood of contacting potential partners who are less educated than themselves but conversely, younger males fall into this category as well," said Stephen Whyte, behavioural economists from the Queensland University of Technology in Australia.

Traditionally, humans look for certain characteristics and traits in a partner. However, the internet has completely changed how people choose dating partners to find love.

However, "cyber dating permits multiple partner choices in real time, which allows for a significantly greater available choice of potential mates. This increased pool means greater opportunity for selection of partners with lower, similar or even higher levels of certain characteristics", Whyte said.

This includes education, which is commonly used in human mating behaviour as a proxy for resources, and future provision as it can represent economic advantages.

For the study, the team analysed the online dating interactions of more than 41,000 Australians aged between 18-80.