With the Covid crisis putting paid to New Year’s Eve celebrations and many other opportunities to seek romance in person, dating apps have thrived.
But while such tech has long been associated with hookups, a study suggests those who couple up after swiping right have as satisfying a relationship as those who met via traditional encounters – and might even be keener to settle down.
“We actually find that in certain ways couples that met through dating apps have even stronger long-term family formation or relationship intentions than other couples that met either offline or through other digital ways of meeting,” said Dr Gina Potarca, author of the research from the University of Geneva.
People who actively set out to find a relationship have more interest in a relationship than those who bumble through life and perhaps just bump into a relationship.
We might even mutter something about revealed preferences here…..
We actually find that in certain ways couples that met through dating apps have even stronger long-term family formation
In certain ways? I feel that those three small words are doing an awful lot of lifting in that sentence.
The media is determined to sell us social dysfunction. I suggest that so many people believe QAnon’s conspiracies about our ruling class protecting paedophiles because so many of our elites are pushing paedophilia or the like.
I see no reason to believe this. The purpose of hooking up is to hook up.
We are heading out shortly to celebrate NYE on Hamilton Island. We’re four couples staying in a 4 bed unit with marriages from 30 to 40 years. We all met our partners normally.
In my experience, the key to success with online dating is to arrange a physical meeting ASAP. In the current climate that’s not really possible so all you’re left with is messaging, which tends to peter out if no progress is being made.
I suspect that while there may be an increase in activity on the apps it won’t lead to more relationships (has certainly been my case since moving back to the UK!)
What SMFS says. When they say “ as satisfying a relationship as those who met via traditional encounters” they mean to equate love and marriage with getting bummed in a squirrel suit.
Do tell MC. It sounds like you have first hand experience!
(from someone who – thankfully – has never had to deal with the online dating thingy)
I met my wife of 20 years through a dating agency. This was before the time of the internet being popular.
I farmed out my dating to specialists – I signed up with a matchmaking agency. Division of labour and specialisation and all that. Had a series of great dates, meetups and mutual visit’n’stay with a compatible lady, but everything’s stalled since the country was locked up.