By Jacob Seitz
TINDER TALES
An exploration of why young people use dating apps and what they do—or don't—get out of it
The landscape of dating and relationships is changing at a breakneck pace. With apps like Tinder, Bumble, Grindr, and Hinge growing more and more popular in recent years, Millenials and young people have moved away from their parents dating patterns. The number of stories of couples who met through friends or at a bar are dwarfed by stories of people who met in cyberspace. But the question remains, why are people on dating apps? How successful is it? And can it be harmful?
Kyle Bray, a 21-year-old student in Boston, echoed the
In a 2016 study entitled Love me Tinder: Untangling emerging adults’ motivations for using the dating application Tinder—the first study to look at motivations of people on dating apps—authors Sindy R. Sumtera, Laura Vandenbosch, and Loes Ligtenberg found that narratives surrounding Millenial Tinder use proved untrue.
According to their data, Sumtera et. all found ease of communication was not a factor in respondents usage of Tinder, despite a common social criticism that people are on dating apps out of laziness or unwillingness to meet people in person. Further, the study found that 45.5 percent of respondents had gone on a face-to-face date following a match on Tinder, with only 18 percent reporting a one-night stand following a match on Tinder. This defies another social stigma, that most people who are dating apps are strictly looking for sex.
Conversely, Abigail Hadfield, a college student in Boston, said they used it after a breakup to find hook-ups, but eventually
Grace Griffin, another college student in Boston, said it's sometimes easier to tell if people are attracted to her
Despite the positive interactions that can come from dating apps, sometimes people can rely on the rush of matching with someone attractive.
Carter, a 20-year-old Boston resident, said he thinks there’s a reason for the dopamine rush.
“Yes, I do get one,” he said. “But I think it’s because I’m lonely.”
Bray said there is a sense of validation from talking to or going on a date with a person
Daysia Tolentino, a senior and also my partner, says she doesn’t really get a rush unless she finds the person is
This dopamine rush isn’t voluntary either—it’s science.
Writing for Psychology Today, Rob Henderson, a Ph.D. student and Gates Cambridge scholar at the University of Cambridge, says the rush is connected to the brain’s perception of a reward.
Tinder hijacks the brain’s system of reward learning to keep individuals hooked,” he wrote. Tinder sends notifications when a user has a new match. When users first begin to receive such notifications, their dopamine neuron firing rate does not increase until the user views the profile of the individual with whom they matched. However, over time, the user may begin to experience a reward response simply from the notification.
Whether dating apps are good or bad for people is a nuanced question with multiple undiscussed variables within the question. If a person is getting exactly what they want out of a dating app and their usage of the app (or apps) isn’t inhibiting their life, how could it be bad? Conversely, if a person is relying on apps for dopamine rushes and validation, that might not be a good thing in the long run. One thing, however, is for certain—the dating landscape is changing.
According to the Pew Research Center, usage of dating apps for people ages 18-24 has tripled since 2013. On top of that, a Consumer Reports study found that 44 percent of respondents were in a long-term relationship or married because of online dating.
Data surrounding dating app usage is still being collected, and the world of dating apps is evolving at a rapid pace. But they’re a part of the future of our society and should be treated as such.
Works Cited
Sumter, S. R., Vandenbosch, L., & Ligtenberg, L. (2017). Love me Tinder: Untangling emerging adults’ motivations for using the dating application Tinder. Telematics and Informatics, 34(1), 67-78. doi:10.1016/j.tele.2016.04.009
Daysia Tolentino [Personal interview]. (2020, April 3).
Grace Griffin [Personal interview]. (2020, February 21).
Abigail Hadfield [Personal interview]. (2020, February 21).
Kyle Bray [Personal interview]. (2020, February 17).
Carter [Online interview]. (2020, February 2).
Madelyn [Online interview]. (2020, February 2).
Chris [Online interview]. (2020, February 2).
Michelle [Online interview]. (2020, February 2).
Chiara Kung [Telephone interview]. (2020, April 23).
Henderson, R. (2018, May 28). The Science Behind What Tinder Is Doing to Your Brain. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/after-service/201805/the-science-behind-what-tinder-is-doing-your-brain
Smith, A. (2019, December 31). 15% of American adults use online dating sites or mobile apps. Retrieved from https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2016/02/11/15-percent-of-american-adults-have-used-online-dating-sites-or-mobile-dating-apps/
Meltzer, M. (2016, December 29). Online Dating: Match Me If You Can. Retrieved from https://www.consumerreports.org/dating-relationships/online-dating-guide-match-me-if-you-can/