ONLINE DATING -- IS IT HERE TO STAY?
Slowly but
surely, online dating has become the second most popular way that adults are
now meeting potential life partners (Aalai, 2013). With the availability of
numerous dating sites, free and of charge such as eHarmony, PlentyofFish and
Match, just to name a few, it has become fairly easy for individuals to
“relationshop” (PsyBlog, 2010).
Online
dating, like many other things in life, has both positives and negatives
associated with it. A major reason many adults look to online dating in order
to meet potential partners is simply lack of free-time to search for these
individuals in person. With many individuals, both male and female, having
full-time jobs it leaves little time to explore their environments and meet
other people with similar interests in person. With online dating, you can sit
down, log in, sift through numerous profiles and choose who you think would be
worth your time to start a conversation. All of their information is readily
available on their profiles including but not limited to height, weight, race
and religious views. It is in a sense a “screening process” for individuals not
too waste their time getting to know details about individuals that they will
probably in the long run never speak to again. Despite “relationshopping” being
a positive, it also can lead to many unsatisfying interactions. Many individuals’
spend much more time screening other profiles and sending messages than they do
interacting face-to-face with these individuals. A study done by Rosen et.al,
found that 51% of individuals made face-to-face dates within one week and one
month of receiving messages from those who they contacted. In many ways this is
the last step in an individuals’ “screening process” (PsyBlog, 2010).
With the
topic of online dating come many misconceptions. Many individuals believe that
online daters are “losers,” but what studies have shown is that in fact online
daters are more likely to be sociable, have high self-esteem and low dating
anxiety (PsyBlog, 2010). Online daters also do not lie as much as media scare
stories may make us believe they do. In most cases individuals will lie about
small details such as weight, adding or shedding a few pounds, and height.
While many
people are still skeptical about online dating and how “safe” and “real” it may
be, it is proving to be fairly successful. With limited data available, a study
by Rosen et al. found that 29% of their sample found serious relationships
through online dating. Other studies show that in the US, 42% of couples
between 26 and 35 first met online. With more studies being conducted on the
topic of online dating, and its successes, it seems as though this phenomenon
will soon turn into a fairly regular topic for many individuals looking to
date. As people become more comfortable discussing online dating, many more
will also take a shot at it.
Written by:
Klaudia Zdybel
Sources:
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-first-impression/201304/is-online-dating-the-new-bar-scene
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