Scots love romance says poll

Scots value lasting affairs, the poll said

Scots are a nation of romantics who find love early and value lasting affairs, according to a new poll.

The study for a Sunday newspaper found that 80% had fallen in love by the age of 24, although 11% said they had never been in love.

The Scotland on Sunday poll revealed that women (25%) were far more likely to try to stay with their first sexual partner than men (15%).

It also revealed that 29% of people living in Scotland first had sex under the age of 16.

Healthier attitude

A fifth of people interviewed, who were all aged between 18 and 54, had stayed with their first sexual partner.

People surveyed were also asked to comment on their sexual habits, with 38% admitting having sex for the first time within a week of meeting a partner.

Professor Lynn Jamieson, of the Centre for Research on Families and Relationships at Edinburgh University, said the majority of people in Scotland were committed to nurturing long-term relationships.

She told the paper she believed young people now had a much healthier attitude to meeting boyfriends and girlfriends.

"There is a philosophy around that you should not go out looking for love, that if you do you are too desperate it will not happen," she said.

"Instead people go out with their friends, take up new hobbies and believe it will happen naturally."

The surveyed, conducted by Progressive Research, questioned 1,000 people across Scotland between 27 December 2002 and 13 January 2003.