Online dating and “People nearby applications” (PNA) has become more popular in today’s society. With PNA you can easily find people who are nearby you that you can socialize with and maybe even meet. In this paper we study the mobile application Badoo and explore how it is used for dating in clubs in Stockholm through observations that we participated in. We also had a group interview with five Badoo users about their usage of the application. It turned out that they mostly used Badoo during daytime to socialize with other people. Our observations in this study showed that Badoo is used by some people for dating when out in nightclubs but many people are more likely to use it when they are at home for other types of dates, such as meeting for sexual activities etc, at this time of the day.

La fréquentation des sites de rencontres est désormais une pratique répandue en France et un objet de débat important. À partir d’une recherche empirique originale qui croise des enquêtes qualitatives et quantitatives, cette thèse propose une sociologie de ces services de rencontres sur Internet. Se plaçant d’abord du côté de la production des sites, elle montre la constitution d’un nouveau marché économique – celui de la rencontre – dont elle dissèque les différentes logiques. Elle explique en particulier la forte standardisation des plateformes, et la diffusion plus récente de sites spécialisés, comme autant de dynamiques propres à un marché en développement. Étudiant les usages au sein de la population hétérosexuelle, elle interroge ensuite les modes d’appropriation – sociaux et sexués – des sites et l’organisation des relations qui en découlent. Ce faisant, l’enquête révèle que, si les sites promeuvent les rencontres amoureuses, ils contribuent en réalité peu à la formation des couples, favorisant davantage une hétérosexualité non conjugale. La discrétion des rencontres en ligne, qui se déroulent en dehors et à l’insu des cercles de sociabilité, contribue à ce fait. Alors que les pratiques numériques sont habituellement associées à une publicisation croissante de la vie intime, les sites de rencontres participent donc d’un mouvement contraire de privatisation de la sociabilité sexuelle. Cette caractéristique des sites autorise une plus grande marge de manœuvre dans l’exercice de la sexualité, et ce en premier lieu pour les femmes, mais ne déroge pas pour autant au double standard de sexe qui structure les relations hétérosexuelles, sur Internet comme ailleurs. / Online dating is a widespread phenomenon in France today as well as an important topic of debate. Based on original empirical research, interweaving qualitative and quantitative methods, this thesis offers a sociological understanding of these sites. By first examining the production of dating sites, the thesis shows how a new economic market has been established – the dating market – whose different logics are then analysed. In particular, the high degree of standardisation of these platforms, as well as the more recent spread of specialised sites, are seen as characteristics of a developing market. Dating site use within the heterosexual population is then examined through an analysis of the different modes of appropriation – social and sexual – of the sites, as well as the structure of resulting relations. In so doing, the investigation reveals that although these sites do foster romantic encounters, they seldom result in couple formation, favouring instead a non-conjugal heterosexuality. The privacy afforded by online dating, external and unbeknownst to one’s social circle, contributes to this. Whilst the use of information technologies is typically associated with increasing public exposure of intimate life, dating sites thus have the opposite effect of rendering sexual sociability more private. This characteristic of the sites allows for a larger degree of freedom in the expression of sexuality, particularly for women; however, it does not circumvent the sexual double standard that structures heterosexual relations, on the Internet as elsewhere.

Master of Science / Department of Journalism and Mass Communications / Major Professor Not Listed / This exploratory research utilized focus groups from college students to learn how and why people are using current mobile dating applications to form and maintain relationships. Additionally, the author asked participants about their perception of a new mobile application that is still in the conceptual stages called Flick. The results revealed seven key themes to the gratifications people receive from mobile dating apps: (Theme 1: Dating Applications as Games and Entertainment; Theme 2: Perceptions of App Functions Vary by Gender; Theme 3: Dating Applications to Embrace Hookup Culture/Casual Sex; Theme 4: Dating Applications as the Lottery Ticket for Love/Relationship Seeking; Theme 5: Dating Applications as Self-Validation; Theme 6: Dating Applications for Social Means; Theme 7: Dating Applications as Trendiness) Lastly, the overall perceptions of Flick were very positive from all sessions. However, when it comes to the dating component of the application, the users were much more uncertain. Due to this finding, the author has decided to take the branding and purpose of Flick to only focus on the business and friend components.

Background: As the expanding digital tools of communications provide new ways for people to interact online, new ways of initiating relationships have emerged from this technological development. From traditional online dating sites to today’s proximity dating applications that enable users to easily interact with other users nearby with the help of geolocation technology. This fast-paced movement allows dating applications to enter the market to assist people with the search for their soulmate. These dating applications such as Tinder allows people to manage their self-presentation as desired to pursue their goals online.    Problem: Previous literature about self-presentation and behaviour online has mainly focused on Facebook as the context. Because of its popularity among emerging adults today, this thesis has chosen to study Tinder as a context. Additionally, previous literature about Tinder has mainly focused on the motives behind using the app. However, the examination of self-presentation focusing solely on young women and how Tinder is utilized to reach one’s goal is not thoroughly researched.     Purpose: The purpose of this study is to increase the knowledge of how young heterosexual women in Sweden use self-presentation and utilize digital social platforms to reach their goal. This research examines the context of the online dating application Tinder to study experiences and get insights into how the users utilize the app and different strategies to succeed. To fulfil the purpose of this research, the research team is going to thoroughly analyse the participants’ experiences and opinions to further understand how self-presentation and strategies are implemented in a context as Tinder.     Method: This thesis has followed a qualitative approach where an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) strategy is used. Ten semi-structured interviews have been conducted on young heterosexual women between 18-25 in Sweden utilizing the online dating application Tinder.    Results: The findings suggest that the participants use different strategies and have a varying perception of Tinder depending on how they want other users to perceive them and what their goals are. The discovered strategies are how the participants select pictures, what information they disclose in their profile, and how they interact with male users on the application. The development of the digital environment has impacted how users behave online, and findings suggest that social online platforms do not facilitate the expression of the true self online as previous literature has stated.

Using data collected from the online dating site Match.com, this paper performs a content analysis examining the relationships between race, gender, and sexuality as both independent variables and as intersections on impression management strategies in online dating. Impression management strategies form a foundational core of how people interact with others in social situations. This analysis focuses on impression management strategies by examining how people advertise their body type in a public arena. Analysis also draws upon the types of bodies these people desire in an ideal date, as a second method of looking at the norms surrounding the ideal body type for a given group. Drawing upon intersectionality theories, this paper looks at potential biases in previous online dating literature towards white heterosexuals. Taking this idea into account, this analysis utilizes 892 profiles from major urban centers within the United States, approximately equal in the numbers of whites and blacks, gay/lesbians and heterosexuals, and men and women, in order to examine underrepresented populations in previous online dating literature. Findings show that body type norms based on intersectional race and gender literature appear to be more accurate predictors of proclaimed body type than only those using gender literatures. In addition, sexuality, race, and gender interactions appear to have an effect in the terminology an online dater uses in describing both themselves and the types of bodies desired in ideal dates. Contrary to prior online dating and gender literature, findings also indicate a greater willingness of women compared to men to use terms that indicate their body might be overweight. Theoretical explanations look at how positions relative to hegemonic power may be an overriding influence in the importance of body type impression management strategies.

<p>Online daters use a variety of messages to initiate relationships, some of which contain sexual content. Research has explored some extreme versions of initiation messages that contain sexual content that are used in online dating. However, there has been a lack of examination into the variation in these types of initiation strategies. The current study explored different types of initiation messages that contain sexual content used in online dating and recipients’ impressions of those messages. The first study utilized focus groups to uncover the different types of initiation messages that contain sexual content that online daters have sent and received, as well as their perceptions of those messages. The second study employed findings from Study 1 to develop and validate the impressions of initiation messages that contain sexual content (IIMCSC) scale and conduct an exploratory correlation analysis on how factors from the IIMCSC scale relate to relational outcomes. The development of a typology of initiation messages that contain sexual content along with the IIMCSC scale to measure recipients’ impressions of those messages are useful in understanding how these messages play a role in the initiation of romantic relationships. The developed tools address the need for more comprehensive understanding and investigation of the variety of sexual content exchanged in online romantic relationship initiation. </p>

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I dagens digitala uppkopplade värld har traditionella vägar för kärlek och romantik genomgått betydande förändringar. Dejtingappar har snabbt blivit en central del av den moderna dejtingkulturen och erbjuder möjligheten att hitta kärlek med en enkel svepning. Denna studie utforskar hur kön och personlighetsdrag påverkar graden av seriositet i sökandet efter relationer på dejtingplattformar. Med en urvalsgrupp på 98 respondenter undersöker studien om kön och personlighetsdrag påverkar seriositeten i relationssökandet på dejtingappar. Hypoteser formulerades kring hur kön och specifika personlighetsdrag (extraversion, välvilja, samvetsgrannhet, neuroticism och öppenhet) påverkar seriositeten i relationssökandet. Studien antog, med hjälp av tidigare forskning, att män skulle vara de som var mindre seriösa i sitt relationssökande och kvinnor skulle vara mer seriösa (H1). De personlighetsdrag som studien hypotiserade skulle ha ett negativt samband med seriositet var extraversion (H2) och neuroticism (H5). Personlighetsdragen som hypotiserades ha ett positivt samband var välvilja (H3), samvetsgrannhet (H4) och öppenhet (H6). Till skillnad från de ursprungliga hypoteserna, visade studien ingen signifikant skillnad i seriositet mellan könen. Extraversion visade en oväntad positiv korrelation som stred mot förutsägelserna. Personlighetsdraget välvilja visade ett signifikant positivt samband med seriositeten i relationssökandet, medan samvetsgrannhet, neuroticism och öppenhet inte visade något signifikant samband. Dessa resultat tyder på att medan kön kanske inte spelar en betydande roll, kan specifika personlighetsdrag, särskilt vänlighet, påverka seriositeten i relationssökandet på dejtingplattformar. Vidare forskning krävs för att fördjupa förståelsen för hur dessa faktorer påverkar valet av relation i den digitala sfären. / In today's digitally connected world, traditional avenues for love and romance have undergone significant transformation. Dating apps have swiftly become a central aspect of modern dating culture, offering the opportunity to find love with a simple swipe. This study explores the impact of gender and personality traits on the level of seriousness in seeking relationships on dating platforms. Using a sample of 98 respondents, the study investigates whether gender and personality traits influence the seriousness of relationship-seeking behavior on dating apps. Hypotheses were formulated regarding the influence of gender and specific personality traits (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness) on relationship seriousness. The study, based on previous research, assumed that men would be less serious in their relationship-seeking behavior, while women would be more serious (H1). The personality traits hypothesized to have a negative correlation with seriousness were extraversion (H2) and neuroticism (H5). The personality traits hypothesized to have a positive correlation were agreeableness (H3), conscientiousness (H4), and openness (H6). In contrast to the original hypotheses, the study found no significant difference in seriousness between genders. Extraversion showed an unexpected positive correlation contrary to predictions. Agreeableness demonstrated a significant positive correlation with relationship seriousness, while conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness did not show any significant correlation. These findings suggest that while gender may not play a significant role, specific personality traits, particularly agreeableness, impact the seriousness of relationship-seeking behavior on dating platforms. Further research is warranted to delve deeper into how these factors influence the relationships you seek in the digital realm.

This thesis seeks to explore if and how college students' dating practices have changed amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Through eight focus group interviews (n=51), participants discussed their dating practices, use of online dating platforms, and navigation of health and safety protocols. A thematic analysis was used to identify and define major themes from the focus groups. Findings revealed four themes in how college students define dating, which were relational investment, exclusivity labels, dating progression, and the role of hookup culture. When addressing how the pandemic has changed the way college students date, six themes were identified: importance of communication, technology as a tool, impact of family, violating safety norms, negative affect expression, and gaining perspective. This thesis extends academic research on how dating is defined and how uncertainty in the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted dating practices of college students at a large U.S. university in the mid-Atlantic region. / MACOM / This thesis explores the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on college students dating practices. It uses focus group interviews of undergraduate college students at a large university in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Participants discussed their definition of 'dating,' use of technology and dating apps, and navigation of health and safety practices during a dating climate characterized by high uncertainty. Findings revealed four themes in how college students define dating, which were relational investment, exclusivity labels, dating progression, and the role of hookup culture. When addressing how the pandemic has changed the way college students date, six themes were identified: importance of communication, technology as a tool, impact of family, violating safety norms, negative affect expression, and gaining perspective. These findings have implications in how we understand dating, especially during a global health crisis.

Despite increased usage of online dating platforms, perceptions of meeting partners online remain generally stigmatized. When people internalize stigmatized online dating narratives as self-stigma, there are implications for psychological wellbeing and relational health. In the current study, through an open-ended online survey, I explored online dating narratives and perceptions of stigma in the experiences of 110 participants who met their partners online. I used thematic analysis (Braun and Clark, 2006) to identify and illustrate resulting themes, which revealed that (a) a general stigma about meeting partners online persists; (b) individuals are more likely to share that they met their partner online if they perceive their audience to be trustworthy; (c) intersections of race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation influence how people share their online dating narratives; (d) a hierarchy of legitimacy exists amongst online dating platforms; and (e) the benefits of meeting online often outweigh the stigma. I used both symbolic interactionist and narrative therapy frameworks to explore the implications of these findings and make suggestions for marriage and family therapists (MFT) working with clients who met their partners online. As well, I proposed competencies in online relationships for MFT education. / Ph. D. / Despite widespread usage and popularity of online dating platforms, general perceptions of online dating remain largely stigmatized. In the current study, perceptions of stigma were explored in the narratives of 110 participants who met their partners online. The resulting themes revealed that: (a) a general stigma about online dating persists; (b) online dating narratives are shared more honestly and completely with a trustworthy audience; (c) intersections of race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation markedly influence how online dating narratives are shared; (d) a perceived hierarchy of legitimacy exists amongst platforms; and (e) the benefits of meeting online often outweigh the stigma of online dating. Using narrative therapy as a theoretical framework, clinical suggestions for therapists working with clients who date online were made. Suggestions for competency training in online relationship culture were also made for marriage and family therapy training programs.