Do Dating Apps Affect Relationship Decision Making?
"‘Good relationships are not born out of complex algorithms, because attraction is unpredictable…’ (Joel, Eastwick, and Finkel 2017)"
Times are changing, people are becoming more tech savvy and are living fast paced and busy lives. Increased work hours and more demanding responsibilities often impedes on our ability to socialise, consequentially creating a negative impact on personal life. One such impediment that is becoming more common is the ability to seek a potential relationship or life partner.
Evidence of this emerging difficulty can be seen with the boom of online dating smartphone apps such as Tinder, Badoo, and Plenty of fish. Such apps seek to resolve this growing disparity between work and social life, allowing the individual to scour over potential matches whilst on their commute, at their desk, or on their sofa.
A survey conducted by Statista (2017) showed that these three platforms rank in the top 4 alongside match.com, where regular respondent usage ranged between 32 – 45% of singles. With increased popularity, and reduced stigma, around their use – online dating apps have fundamentally changed the dating landscape. However, change can often bring about new risks.
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About the Author
Charlie Nixon
Charlie completed a BA (Hons) in Business Studies at Leeds Beckett University, progressing to an MSc in Behavioural Science at the University of Stirling. Charlie is now looking to start a career in the world of behavioural science application. This journey has been kickstarted by being invited to the 2018 Ogilvy Change Summer School in London, working with real clients in an research consultancy role.
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