Dating in the Digital Age : A Research Experiment
by scholars across various disciplines�I became interested with the specific concept of app-based dating , and just what kind of mental and emotional effects such online apps can have on our ability to communicate and relate to one another �online and off .
The popularity of online dating makes sense , as does the increasing ubiquity of dating apps like Tinder , Bumble , and OkCupid . Tinder , which launched in 2012 , still remains one of the most popular dating apps ( Fruhlinger ). The app offers users an addicting and easy-to-use platform : simply connect the app to your Facebook account , choose up to six photos to display on your Tinder profile , write a short bio , and then you may begin swiping through potential partners . Users swipe left to reject someone , while swiping right to “ like ” them . If two individuals swipe right on one other , it is considered a “ match ,” which then allows either party to message the other . Without a mutual like or match between two people , the messaging option does not unlock , therefore preventing any form of communication from occurring .
Undoubtedly , there is great appeal to being able to quickly judge potential partners through a short bio and a few photos , and to do so while comfortably lounging at home . The process not only requires minimal effort , it eliminates the risk of direct rejection , awkwardness , and the initial guessing game of whether or not someone finds you attractive . However , with the ease of dating apps , what happens to human communication ? What impact does it have on the direct / indirect accountability for the ways we speak and act toward another person ?
Communicating primarily via technologically mediated means can act as a barrier to real human communication , in turn , preventing or truncating the formation of a deep ,
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