A Study of Factors in Women’s Choice of a Potential Partner in the Context of Internet Dating

Abstract

Introduction. The study aims to investigate the factors of women’s choice of partner in an online dating situation. In the period of digitalization, many women seek to expand their opportunities to find a suitable partner through the use of online dating services. At the same time, many women have certain concerns and do not know what exactly to pay attention to when dating so that it leads to the creation of a romantic relationship. This is the first time that the question of the existence of a relationship between the factors of partner selection and the consequences of online dating is considered, which determines the novelty of the study. Its results will help to identify the most successful strategies for choosing a potential partner that lead to the establishment of long-term relationships. Objective. To identify the most common factors among women in selecting a potential partner in an Internet dating situation. Materials and Methods. A translated version of Liesel Sharabi’s questionnaire-questionnaire was used to establish the peculiarities of women’s use of dating services. Binomial criterion, Fisher’s exact test, and conjugacy test were used as methods of statistical data analysis.Results. The empirical object of the study was women aged 18 to 60 (n = 61). It was found that women are quite selective in the situation of choosing potential partners in dating services. The majority of women feel apprehension regarding the use of dating services, which is associated with the fear of not meeting a suitable partner there. At the same time, women remain convinced of the effectiveness of dating services and hope to get married through their use. The main factor in choosing a partner among women is the way he or she shows himself or herself in correspondence. At the same time, women who got married as a result of online dating also took into account such a factor as the appearance of the chosen one. Discussion. The obtained data are confirmed by the results of other authors’ studies. Thus, women’s selectivity in the situation of Internet dating is explained by the increase in their self-confidence, as well as by the desire to demonstrate themselves from the “right” side. At the same time, women’s fears seem to be quite justified, taking into account that men are much more likely to describe their desired, rather than real, characteristics in questionnaires. Women more often make a choice based on the features of correspondence, since most of the criteria important for selection are revealed in the course of communication.