Effects of Online Dating

Online dating has an influence on our everyday lives. Many people are finding online dating to be the new way to find a hook-up, relationship, or even true love. All they need to do is swipe right to meet their soul mates. Technology and the use of dating apps such as Tinder have developed easy access to potential partners in a matter of minutes. However, while online dating seems to be the easiest way to find a relationship, there are many risks and dangers that can come along with internet dating when people are dishonest in their profiles. Still, the popularity of online dating has changed the way people find romantic partners and the way they communicate.

Social media sites have increased audiences on social media sites that are being explored by the world today, such as platforms like Facebook or Twitter. In the study Smith and Duggan (2013) , reported that six out of every ten Americans navigate their past and present romantic relationships. Approximately 31% of SNN users have used sites to check one a significant other they use to date or in relationship with and 17% of individuals posted images or details from a date on social networking sites (Smith and Duggan, 2013). Throughout research findings online dating have become much more positive to some and the new norm. Yet 66% of online dating have dated someone they met through a dating site or app, leading with 23% of online daters meeting their spouse or long term relationship through social media.

Using smart phones or the internet to connect to others might be helpful for some people because they’re shy which happens to be different from the past when letters, seeing each other face- to- face, or talking on the phone was necessary. When chatting online people aren’t physical and it’s often a delay between message (Peters and Salzieder, 2018). In a study investigation it shows the effect of facial attractiveness and ambition measured of interpersonal attraction stimulate online dating. Both men and women ratings stimulated a higher percentage on interpersonal attraction when an autobiography describe an individual vs. less ambitious when an individual doesn’t give a description ((Peters and Salzieder, 2018). According to the Internet World Statistics over 218 million people in North America have use the internet access and a high increase of 103% since the year of 2000(Stevens and Morris, 2007).

Approximately 98% of individuals sampled stated they own a computer and have access to email and the internet with 51% reported they spend 1 to 3 hours daily; for an open avenue of communication and provide an outlet through relationships (Stevens and Morris, 2007). Online services are much faster and increasingly popular that include instant messages, chat rooms webcams and blogs. There have been a controversy regarding whether the internet has helped people to become more social and establish closer relationship. Significantly, in regard to age it argues that physical, social and psycho-social needs change while emerging adults grew older (Sumter, Vandenbosch and Ligtenberg, 2017). For an example: romantic relationships became more serious while at the same time having casual sex became common and increased as emerging adults became older (Sumter, Vandenbosch and Ligtenberg, 2017).

Tinder is one of the most popular online dating apps for iOS and Android that was introduced as a dating app, but it’s been called the hook – up or sex app (Sumter, Vandenbosch and Ligtenberg, 2017). The approach to having a Tinder account is straightforward. By creating a personal profile, you can log in through Facebook with the personal information given and select what details you want to import from Facebook to your Tinder account. Furthermore, there are options to search for potential matches that makes it possible through smart phone GPS to locate matches close to range (Sumter, Vandenbosch and Ligtenberg, 2017). Tinder is used more frequently by 25 – 34 year olds. The theory of Uses and Gratifications (U&G) research explains why emerging adults are eager users of Tinder but and in theory it was also challenged to successfully find and understand why people use social media for online dating (Sumter, Vandenbosh and Ligtenberg, 2017). In this theory it specifically highlights individuals to use certain types of mass media, fulfillment of needs and desire.

Although, the needs and desire can be a developmental stage or personality. In other views, it has been suggested that physical, social, and psychosocial gratifications stimulates users consumption of online dating applications (Sumter, Vandenbosh and Ligtenberg, 2017). Psychical gratification seemed to have relations to exercising or eating but also have a sexual pleasure of needs that were increasingly present during emerging adulthood (Sumter, Vandenbosh and Ligtenberg, 2017). Relating motivations to sexual pleasure were more likely to drive the use of dating apps like Tinder as previous research revealing similar motivates for the use of other dating apps.

While social gratification media relates to needs, such as establishing friendships and finding romantic lovers (Sumter, Vandenbosh and Ligtenberg, 2017. In between emerging adults theory has shown that they aim to establish their first long-term serious relationships and a increase in commitment as a characteristic of social relationships (Sumter, Vandenbosh and Ligtenberg, 2017). Last but not least, pychosocial gratification simple refers to the need to have psychological origin but have interaction with social variables. Pysychosocial needs have been reported to explain users consumption if dating media(Sumter, Vandenbosh and Ligtenberg, 2017). The use of social media platforms have been discovered that individuals that have a satisfaction of psychosocial needs related to self worth such as validating sexual attraction of his or her own appearance and feels better about self in general.Sumter, Vandenbosh and Ligtenberg, 2017).

Social media in general, and Tinder specifically, encourage people to present an online version of themselves that is perfect. The first initiative would be to first impress that may lead to interpersonal attraction.The beauty of swiping right on Tinder is that you will only know if they swipe right if you also swipe right. There are many known factors that an individual might have found their lucky match. Research states first impression are no longer face- to-face but instead it consist of one or multiple photos and brief autobiography (Peters and Salzieder, 2018). With the variety of dating apps and widespread of internet use online media has been used to connect a social relationship in individuals of all ages.

Investigator Whitty, interviewed within 30 women and 30 men who have experienced with online dating and she found that participants created online dating profiles in the manner of a performer (Peters and Salzieder, 2018). Individuals admitted to misrepresenting themselves with the goal of being perceived more attractive to others. In the mix of evidence there have been evidence regarding racial-ethnic difference in body type preferences.

Using online media to get offline outcomes can become risky. Meeting and arranging online partnership engaging in casual sex can lead to sexual transmitted long term disease. To understand online sexual behavior and experiences of people who use online dating may or may not address risk using online dating. But throughout the online dating market sexual transmitted infections are a major cause of long term illness, disability and death that substantially psychological and medical consequences for individuals dating online (Couch and Liamputtong, 2007). The internet has made it easier for body imaging and pleasure to climax sexting connection to have full control over self-impression. In many countries sexual transmitted infections have increased.

In Australia, in 2004 46,762 were infected with a STI notifications, while an increase compared 10 15,355 notifications in 1997 (Couch and Liamputtong, 2007). The increase of STI’s may have been due to the more sensitive diagnostic tests and increase in screening rates. Statistics of Tinder Use vs. Offline Encounters rates 23% of current and former Tinder users access the app on a daily basis around 20% used the app less than a month of have used it once or twice. Just about half of 45.5% gone on a date followed by a perfect match and 18.6% had a one night stand followed by a match app (Sumter, Vandenbosch and Ligtenberg, 2017).

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