Swiping for love can still carry a social stigma, but it results in the same strong partnerships as those between people who have met in person.
A new study published Wednesday in the journal PLOS One has suggested that early criticism of dating apps sparked fear. While Tinder, Bumble, and other matchmaking technology are often associated with one-night stands, casual sex, or short-term relationships, those who meet on such sites often have stronger long-term relationship goals than those who meet in other ways.
According to a 2018 survey of 3,245 Swiss by the University of Geneva, study author Dr. Gina Potarca said there are “no differences between couples initiated through dating apps and those initiated elsewhere with regard to relationship and life satisfaction.”
In addition, she noted that women who met their partners through dating apps “had stronger fertility desires and intentions than those who found their partner offline.”
The study – titled “Swiping Demographics From Right. A review of couples who met through dating apps in Switzerland ‘- noted that’ phone dating apps have transformed the dating scene over the past decade by normalizing and, according to some, gamifying the digital search for a partner. ‘
But dating apps have apparently also led more couples from different educational backgrounds to find love. The study found an increase in the “admixture” of “highly educated women and low educated men,” according to a press release. That “may be due to selection methods that focus primarily on the visual,” suggested Potarca, suggesting that the photo-based prioritization of apps’ physical appeal could lead more women to overlook lack of education than they personally would. .
Her research is especially relevant due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which has made face-to-face dating uniquely dangerous and difficult, with many turning to apps as an alternative.
“Knowing that dating apps are likely to have become even more popular during this year’s lockdown and social detachment periods, it is reassuring to allay alarming concerns about the long-term effects of using these tools,” Potarca concluded.