Topic Presentation
In modern society, the opinion is becoming increasingly widespread that online dating has ruined the essence of old-school romance. The issue with new technologies is that many potential partners communicate online, setting themselves up for deception and an exaggerated vulnerability to myths and assumptions regarding romantic relationships. Therefore, classical romantic relationships have been gradually undermined by online dating applications and the growing occurrence of pretexts linked to computer-mediated communication (CMC).
Bibliographic Entries
Antheunis, Marjolijn L., et al. “The Hyperpersonal Effect in Online Dating: Effects of Text-Based CMC vs. Videoconferencing before Meeting Face-to-Face.” Media Psychology, vol. 23, no. 6, 2020, pp. 820–839.
The article written by Antheunis et al. discusses the impact of two different forms of communication, text-based CMC and videoconferencing, on the development of hyperpersonal relationships in online dating. The authors emphasized that “in 2017 in the U.S., 30 percent of the internet users between 18 and 29 years old were using online dating” (Antheunis et al. 821). These data show a growing preference for dating apps instead of live communication.
The main argument that can be taken out of this work is that using technologies such as text-based CMC contributes to creating a “hyperpersonal effect persisted for social attraction”. In contrast, romantic attraction is reduced (Antheunis et al. 838). Therefore, it is essential to focus on the negative impact of online dating on classical romance because otherwise, there will be even more deceptive practices. The ubiquitous nature of digital technologies makes it impossible to ignore the impact of dating apps on interpersonal relationships and individual social skills.
Alexopoulos, Cassandra, et al. “Swiping More, Committing Less: Unraveling the Links among Dating App Use, Dating App Success, and Intention to Commit Infidelity.” Computers in Human Behavior, vol. 102, 2020, pp. 172–180.
One of the main components of an old-fashioned novel is a long-term commitment to a partner. Alexopoulos et al., in their study, raise the problem of how online dating is indirectly associated with intent to cheat (172). The study was based on the study of 395 participants through a U.S.-based university (44.6%) and MTurk (55.4%) (Alexopoulos et al. 174).
The trend highlighted in this study shows that individuals looking for a romantic partner on various apps become dependent on the quest for a relationship itself. Thus, even if they find a person with whom they are interested in continuing to build a relationship, they can continue to search for other partners. The main argument is that due to the increased offer of possible partners and success in communicating with them, online dating increases the probability of committing infidelity through self-perceived desirability.
Sharabi, Liesel L., and John P. Caughlin. “Deception in Online Dating: Significance and Implications for the First Offline Date.” New Media & Society, vol. 21, no. 1, 2019, pp. 229–247.
The article written by Sharabi and Caughlin investigates the prevalence and impact of deception in online dating and its implications for the first offline date. The authors surveyed 320 participants who had used online dating platforms and found that most participants reported engaging in some form of deception, such as misrepresenting their appearance or age (Sharabi and Caughlin 237). The authors also found that such trickery was associated with adverse outcomes on the first offline date, such as decreased attraction and a greater likelihood of ending the date early. These findings also reinforce a negative image of online dating because the growing occurrence of deception has become omnipresent in today’s world.
Overall, the study highlights the significance of deception in online dating and how it affects the dynamics of the first in-person meeting. Therefore, from this research, the argument that online dating contributes to strengthening the tendency to deception among individuals, which negatively affects perception and attitudes during real meetings, can be singled out. This kind of behavior impacts such a valuable aspect as trust, which prevents the creation of healthy romantic relationships.