Hinge Report Reveals Gen Z’s “Question Deficit”

Hinge’s latest D.A.T.E. (Data, Advice, Trends & Expertise) report, based on feedback from over 30,000 users, highlights what it calls a growing “question deficit” among Gen Z daters – a gap between the deep conversations they want and their reluctance to ask meaningful questions.

Survey data suggests that while more than 60% of these young daters believe they ask thoughtful questions on a first date, less than 30% feel that their partner does the same. According to Hinge, this disconnect undermines the deeper connections that many say they crave: 84% of Gen Z users say they want more meaningful interaction when dating.

One of the biggest barriers appears to be fear. Many young people worry about coming off as too intense or intrusive during early conversations- something that worsens the lack of reciprocity in asking deep questions. Hinge’s report finds that 48% of Gen Z men avoid emotional intimacy early on because they’re afraid of appearing “too much.” Meanwhile, 45% of heterosexual Gen Z women believe men don’t want deep conversations so early on, a view that is contradicted by 65% of Gen Z men who say they do want those conversations.

Hinge also sheds light on a phenomenon it calls the “vulnerability hangover.” After moments of emotional openness, more than half of daters say they feel a sense of shame or second-guess what they shared, while only 19% say they feel uncomfortable when someone else opens up to them. That emotional cost helps explain why many hesitate to initiate the deeper conversations they wish for.

On the tools front, the report finds real interest: 35% of Gen Z users said they’d like to receive more voice notes from matches, and 60% of 18–22 year-olds said they’d be open to using AI as a “virtual dating coach” to help with conversation. While users may not be asking questions, they definitely seem to want to start compensating for that issue in new ways, even if it means turning to systems like voice notes as a regular part of their dating experience.