Online Dating Research

In a world where having a social media presence has become a huge part of day-to-day life, we now live in a society where virtual interactions have become somewhat of a new norm. Online social media entities like Facebook, Snap Chat, Twitter, and Instagram have created an environment where people no longer find it necessary to meet face-to-face in order to have meaningful interactions. It, therefore, comes as no surprise that this phenomenon has translated into other aspects of our everyday lives; namely, how we choose to date and subsequently go about choosing future spouses. The debate of online dating versus traditional dating is one that bears its share of supporters on both sides with each scenario having a fair amount of pros and cons.

As of 2016, approximately 49 million people in the United States have tried some form of online dating (statisticbrains.com). The internet has revolutionized the way we as individuals meet and socialize with each other, people no longer need to be in the same physical space in order to communicate and establish relationships. Online dating sites like eHarmony, OkCupid, Tinder, Plenty Of Fish (POF) and Match.com have capitalized on this trend and have created a situation where individuals no longer have to ‘put themselves out there’ when seeking a companion. This can be very appealing to the individual who might be an introvert and is uncomfortable putting themselves in certain social situations. According to Dr. Jeremy Nicholson, online dating offers individuals

A popular eHarmony commercial highlights couples who praise the dating service for matching them with their ideal mate based on all their compatibilities. Online dating providers allow users twenty-four-hour access to dating profiles of individuals specifically tailored to meet a unique set of prerequisites. Taking into consideration that many millennials are constantly plugged into some electronic device, it is easy to understand why the thought of clicking through a screen to find a date can be made very appealing. It is the perfect fit for an on the go life. This process has also gained a lot of popularity with older individuals on the dating scene who do not have the time nor the opportunity to explore meeting someone the traditional way and therefore opt to connect with someone virtually. The downside of quickly browsing through a profile, unfortunately, leads to potentially missing someone who is truly amazing because they did not meet a particular search criterion. It can also result in a net being thrown so wide that it brings in an influx of potential matches that can require more than a little effort to go through all the possible matches; it could be like having a second job in and of