Online Dating Research Articles

Women's sensitivity to threat in online dating and the (in)effectiveness of standard safety warnings

Acts of sexual aggression are sometimes initiated through an online dating arrangement or encounter (e.g., through Tinder, Bumble). Certain personality and physical traits may be predictive of such sexual aggression propensity, and thus evident in online dating profiles (e.g., biographies and photographs). However, it is unclear whether (1) people are sensitive to such “red flags” and (2) whether safety recommendations employed by online dating platforms effectively enhance such sensitivity. For the first time, using an online dating simulation, we experimentally investigated the extent to which women's (n = 167) expressions of interest in men were sensitive to (i.e., influenced by) cues of threat in the men's online dating biographies and photographs, and whether the presence (vs absence) of safety recommendations enhanced this sensitivity. We find fewer expressions of interest for high (vs low) threat dating profiles, although the magnitude of this threat sensitivity/aversion effect varied across women and was not enhanced by safety recommendations. We identify some individual difference factors associated with this threat sensitivity/aversion, but our work underscores the importance of developing other interventions, technologies, or safeguards that screen for, or assist with, identifying such threats, making online dating interactions safer for all users.

Self-regulatory Sex Motives Scale in Online Dating: Exploratory Factor Analysis and Internal Consistency.

Risky sex behavior is common among online dating users. Understanding the motives behind risky sex behavior might help identify suitable targets for prevention. We developed the Self-regulatory Sex Motives Scale in Online Dating (SSOD) to assess sex motives for casual sex in online dating users. This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the SSOD and examined the relationship between sex motives indexed by the SSOD and risky sex behavior. The new scale showed high internal consistency. Exploratory factor analysis suggested a one-factor solution. Sex motives were related to a higher frequency of having sex on the first date.

Unmatching Dating Apps: Motives for Disconnection

This work explores the motives for online daters to disconnect from dating apps. It draws on two studies: Study 1, an online survey (n = 349) aimed at (past) online dating users (44.7 % female, 91 % heterosexuals), and Study 2, a qualitative one based on semi-structured interviews (n = 20) with (past) online dating users aged 21–45. Quantitative analysis was carried out on survey results to obtain frequencies, and a thematic analysis was applied to explore the survey’s open-ended questions and interviews. As both our quantitative and qualitative analyses reveal, individuals disconnect from dating apps due to five main reasons: users’ experiences, app features, users’ well-being, privacy concerns, and life transitions. Motives for disconnection can be cumulative and can change over time. The motives also reflect the meaning of dating apps through how they are appropriated and incorporated into everyday activities. Although disconnection reflects the ambivalent relationship of users with dating apps, they are aware of the possibility of reconnecting whenever they want or need to.

Exploring the Privacy Experiences of Closeted Users of Online Dating Services in the US

Online dating services present significant privacy risks, especially for LGBTQ+ people who are "in the closet" and have not shared their LGBTQ+ identity with others. We conducted a survey (n = 114) and nine follow-up interviews with US-based, closeted users of online dating services focused on their privacy experience. We found that participants in the study were strongly concerned about the risk of being seen by social relations and institutional data sharing practices like targeted advertising. Participants experienced a range of privacy and safety harms, including inadvertent outing, unauthorized saving and sharing of photos, extortion, and harassment. To protect their privacy, participants typically limited the amount of information and the photos they included in their profile. In order to improve their privacy experience, participants requested better profile visibility controls, limits on the ability of others to download or screenshot their photos, better user verification, and making premium privacy features available for free.

THE ONLINE DATING INTENSITY SCALE (ODI): VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY STUDY OF TURKISH FORM

The main purpose of the current research is to adapt the Online Dating Intensity Scale (CFAS), developed by Bloom and Taylor (2019) to evaluate the frequency of use of individuals using online dating programs, into Turkish and to conduct reliability and validity studies of the scale. The sample of the research consists of 110 participants who have previously used and/or are currently using any online dating program. Within the scope of the current study, the original form of the scale was translated into Turkish by experts, and the back-translation was made by experts fluent in both languages. For the validity and reliability analyses of the scale, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was examined for construct validity, and Cronbach alpha internal consistency coefficient and Composite Reliability (CR) coefficients were examined for reliability analyses. Research findings revealed that the two-factor solution was confirmed in Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). In addition, the Cronbach Alpha Coefficient of the scale is 0.92, and the Composite Reliability (CR) coefficients are 0.86 for the attitudes and 0.71 for intensity sub-dimensions. As a result, it was concluded that the scale has very good psychometric properties and allows a valid and reliable assessment of the intensity of online dating experiences in Turkish culture.

Knowledge-Aware Explainable Reciprocal Recommendation

Reciprocal recommender systems (RRS) have been widely used in online platforms such as online dating and recruitment. They can simultaneously fulfill the needs of both parties involved in the recommendation process. Due to the inherent nature of the task, interaction data is relatively sparse compared to other recommendation tasks. Existing works mainly address this issue through content-based recommendation methods. However, these methods often implicitly model textual information from a unified perspective, making it challenging to capture the distinct intentions held by each party, which further leads to limited performance and the lack of interpretability. In this paper, we propose a Knowledge-Aware Explainable Reciprocal Recommender System (KAERR), which models metapaths between two parties independently, considering their respective perspectives and requirements. Various metapaths are fused using an attention-based mechanism, where the attention weights unveil dual-perspective preferences and provide recommendation explanations for both parties. Extensive experiments on two real-world datasets from diverse scenarios demonstrate that the proposed model outperforms state-of-the-art baselines, while also delivering compelling reasons for recommendations to both parties.

Effects of Market Size and Competition in Two-Sided Markets: Evidence from Online Dating

The paper investigates network effects in online dating, focusing on how market and competition size influence user behavior and matching decisions.

From the auction block to the Tinder swipe: Black women’s experiences with fetishization on dating apps

The digital has been celebrated for its objectivity and lack of bias, yet digital media scholars have addressed the ways that inequity is embedded in technology. What is often missing from this discourse is the voices of Black women. Drawing on interviews with 20 self-identified Black and African American women, aged 18–30, who have used dating apps in the preceding 6 months, we invited participants to share their experiences with online dating and racial fetishization. Using reflexive thematic analysis, we explore how Black women perceive and navigate racial fetishization and stereotypes often informed by racialized and gendered ideologies. Our findings trace Black women’s movements through three phases of the dating process in which participants discussed feeling fetishized; a sentiment that we identify as racial desire that is rooted in colonialist ambitions.

From traditional to online dating: its application on the couples therapy

The study examined how participants transitioned from being in a traditional dating setting to an online dating setup when the pandemic struck. An interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was employed to explore and provide meaning to the experiences of eight Filipinos who used online dating through social media to pursue romantic relationships. The study highlighted that the participants experienced both happiness and connection, which led them to become better people because of the online relationship. The participants adapted themselves to the use of technology to express their interest, feelings, and care for the other person by exerting efforts to know the other person, spending quality time with each other, and making sure that communication is always there to make sure the other person will feel assured, cared for, and loved. They have overcome challenges, but there were issues concerning a lack of trust and poor-quality relationships like those of traditional daters in the pre-pandemic period, for which specific approaches to couples therapy have been recommended.

Visual analysis of behavioral differences in online dating by age and gender

With the development of science and technology, people's dependence on the Internet and spiritual needs have increased simultaneously, so online dating has gradually become popular. Because high-quality online dating can increase people's happiness and benefit people's physical and mental health, and people's multifaceted preferences will affect the choice of dating partners and the success rate of online dating, so the research on users' behavior preferences in online dating is of great importance. This paper uses the method of data visualization to conduct research, focusing on the comparative study of behavioral preferences in online dating among different ages and genders. The analysis shows that the elderly and women in the dating market are relatively passive. At the same time, people still have certain prejudices against online dating, and there may be some people who do not aim to obtain a romantic relationship.

Mr. Right or Mr. Best: The Role of Information Under Preference Mismatch in Online Dating

The rise of two-sided matching platforms such as Uber, Airbnb, Upwork, and Tinder has changed the way we commute, travel, work, and even date. The success of these platforms depends on the role of information: What information and how much information should be provided? In this study, we focus on a defining characteristic of two-sided matching markets—that is, a match depends on the possibly different preferences of the two sides—and argue that the optimal amount of information released depends on the extent to which the preferences of the two sides are mismatched. Specifically, in an empirical context of online dating, we find that when there exists preference mismatch between the two sides, having less match-relevant information about the other side leads to a better matching outcome. Our study provides insights into how the amount of information available to each side affects matching outcomes on two-sided platforms and offers guidance on information design strategies. Additionally, our findings are not confined to dating websites and can be extended to other matching platforms, such as Airbnb and Upwork, where misaligned preferences can exist between the two sides.

Enhancing User Privacy Through Ephemeral Sharing Design: Experimental Evidence from Online Dating

In the dynamic world of online dating, a key challenge faced by platforms is the cold-start problem, where newly matched users are hesitant to engage due to privacy concerns. Our solution, ephemeral sharing, addresses this by balancing privacy with the need for personal information sharing. This feature allows personal photos to disappear and become untraceable soon after being viewed, reassuring users about their privacy. We conducted a large-scale randomized experiment with more than 70,000 users to evaluate the impact of ephemeral sharing. The results are compelling: users who could share ephemeral photos were more likely to send personal images alongside with their matching request, especially those with human faces, leading to more matches and higher engagement. Significantly, this effect was more pronounced among users who are more sensitive to their privacy. Furthermore, ephemeral sharing was found to reduce users’ concerns related to data collection, dissemination, and identity misuse, thereby increasing the willingness to share personal information. This approach not only enhances user privacy but also stimulates more active engagement on the platform. For dating platforms and similar platforms, adopting ephemeral sharing can revolutionize user experience. It provides a strategic advantage by boosting user personal information sharing and enhancing privacy, crucial for maintaining meaningful communication in online dating. This feature represents a significant step forward in designing user-centric, privacy-conscious platforms.

“Must Be Clean, Safe and Discreet”

Abstract On digital hook-up apps for same-sex attracted men, it is common to read requests for “discretion” from “discreet” men expecting others be the same. Such discretionary language is not new but has evolved and shifted as it became coded into the affordances of hook-up apps. We argue to be discreet is not necessarily to be “closeted” or to be a “MSM” (man who has sex with men). Drawing on our research of men who engage with online same-sex hook-ups, we consider the context of discretionary language used. We discuss how this illustrates the paradox of discretionary language, where requests for discretion typically imply the requester is seeking to act indiscreetly in some fashion.

State-Run Dating Apps: Are They Morally Desirable?

In a bid to boost fertility levels, Iran and Japan have recently launched their own dating apps, with more countries likely to follow. The aim of this article is to consider whether state-run dating apps are morally desirable, which is a question that has not received any scholarly attention. It finds that such apps have at least two benefits that collectively, if not individually, render their introduction to be welcomed provided certain conditions are met. These benefits are that they are better placed than commercial dating apps such as Tinder, Bumble, and Badoo to (i) help people find lasting love and to (ii) protect individuals from spending too much money and/or time on online dating. Several objections are discussed and shown to be unconvincing as arguments against state-run dating apps tout court, including the objection that for states to offer their own dating apps is unduly expensive; the objection that it gives them too much power; and the objection that they should invest in creating offline opportunities for meeting potential partners instead.

How couples meet and assortative mating in Canada

AbstractObjectiveThis study examines, for the first time in Canada, the relationship between how different‐sex couples meet and assortative mating on education, race, nativity, and age.BackgroundExtending research on how the likelihood of heterogamy differed between offline and online dating, this study disentangles the implications of institutional and third‐person influences from those of online dating for configuring the patterns of heterogamy and gender asymmetry in assortative mating.MethodData from a 2018 national survey are analyzed using (multinomial) logit models.ResultsEducational heterogamy and nativity heterogamy are higher, but age heterogamy appears lower, in online than offline dating. Next, specific channels of offline dating—formal institutions, social ties, and other channels—are distinguished and compared with online dating. Online dating tends to entail higher educational and nativity heterogamy (vs. meeting through formal institutions), higher racial and nativity heterogamy but lower age heterogamy (vs. meeting through social ties), and higher educational heterogamy (vs. meeting through other offline channels). Further considering gender asymmetry shows that online dating is associated with higher educational hypergyny (more‐educated man, less‐educated woman) than meeting through other offline channels; higher nativity hypogyny (immigrant man, native‐born woman) than meeting offline (overall, formal institutions, social ties); and lower age hypergyny (older man, younger woman) than meeting offline through social ties.ConclusionThe findings help untangle the roles of institutional, social, and digital forces in shaping assortative mating. They illustrate the importance of leveraging theoretically informed comparisons to understand how online and offline dating configures assortative mating and its gender‐asymmetric patterns.

Personality Traits Differences in Young People Opting for Online vs. Traditional Dating

The young generation is using new digital tools in many aspects of their life, dating being no exception. Ninety participants (mean age 22.16, SD= 1.71) were tested for dating anxiety, level of extraversion, self-esteem, sensitivity to rejection, and couple satisfaction. The group that used online apps to enter a relationship were more extroverted, less anxious for dating, and more satisfied in their relations than those using traditional dating. No differences were found in the self-esteem level and sensitivity to rejection. Given that sensitivity to rejection is a predictor for dating anxiety, implications for designing interventions are discussed.

Expressive Speech Acts in the Introductory Discourse of Online Dating Tinder in Malaysia

Expressive Speech Acts in the Introductory Discourse of Online Dating Tinder in Malaysia

Multi-Criteria Group Decision-Making with ELECTRE-III Method for Selection of Female Spouse in Pythagorean Neutrosophic Environment

Selecting a female partner in the 21st century is more challenging as compared to the 20th century. The globalized world, changing societal norms, and technology have increased the pool of potential partners, making it harder to find a compatible match. The prevalence of social media and online dating has also changed how people interact, leading to new challenges in establishing genuine connections. This paper presents a novel Multiple-Criteria Group Decision Making (MCGDM) model for selecting a female spouse using the ELECTRE-III method in a Pythagorean neutrosophic environment. The proposed model takes into account multiple criteria and addresses the challenges of handling conflicting and uncertain information. The Pythagorean neutrosophic set theory (PNST) is used to handle the vagueness and uncertainty of the decision-making process. The proposed model is validated using a case study of selecting a female spouse based on education, family background, beauty, and skill capability. The case study results demonstrate the proposed model's effectiveness in addressing the complexity and uncertainty of the decision-making process and providing a useful tool for decision-makers in selecting a spouse.

A Reception Analysis of Users of the Online Dating App Tinder as a Medium of Self Disclosure

This research aims to shed light on user reception of the online dating application Tinder as a medium for self-disclosure, prompted by the surge in criminal activities and sexual violence incidents experienced by some users who readily engage with strangers in the virtual realm of social media dating. Employing qualitative research methods and Stuart Hall's encoding-decoding model, the study utilized in-depth interviews and purposive sampling for data collection. The qualitative analysis revealed three informants in a dominant position, two in opposition, and all informants engaged in negotiation. Key findings highlight user interest in Tinder's visually appealing features, including logos, colors, and messaging, along with a focus on the provided security measures and privacy policies. Notably, informants expressed reluctance to disclose personal information, deeming Tinder susceptible to criminal activities and sexual harassment. This study contributes valuable insights for enhancing the safety and user experience within online dating platforms. Highlights : User Perception: Explore how users perceive and engage with the Tinder app, focusing on visual elements and messaging features. Privacy Concerns: Uncover the hesitancy of users to disclose personal information due to perceived risks of criminal activities and sexual harassment. Security Measures: Highlight the importance of users' positive reception towards security features and privacy policies implemented by Tinder for ensuring a safer online dating experience. Keywords: Online Dating, Tinder, User Reception, Self-Disclosure, Safety

Dating in captivity: creativity, digital affordance, and the organization of interaction in online dating during quarantine

Unprecedented times compel new ways to explore relationships. Using interviews with dating app users quarantined in American cities at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, I show the impacts of digital mediation on the highly scripted interactional patterns in dating. Drawing from the literature on creative action, temporality, digital affordance, and the materiality of cultural objects, I examine how actors access the creative opportunities in digitally mediated interaction. I find that dating partners creatively mobilized the affordances of digital technologies to approximate a dating script in organizing online interactions, which simultaneously allowed them to formulate relational narratives with varying deviation from the scripted temporal structure. I identify three aspects of digital affordances offering creative opportunities: the dissolution of spatial-temporal boundaries, the production and circulation of digital objects, and the connection between contexts. Taking advantage of an extraordinary moment of cultural and interactional rupture that necessitated digital solutions to connect, this article demonstrates how digital technologies unsettle culturally institutionalized interactional patterns and the formation of meaningful relationships.