Open Access Te Herenga Waka-Victoria University of Wellington
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Online Dating in New Zealand: Why and how do people use Tinder?

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posted on 2021-11-22, 09:16 authored by Mickleson, Kate

Online dating is becoming increasingly popular all over the world. However there is a dearth of research investigating online dating in New Zealand. The research presented here explores the prevalence of online dating in New Zealand, examining motivations, attitudes and outcomes associated with online dating (Study 1). It also investigates mate selection in an online dating context using a simulation of the popular mobile dating app, Tinder (Study 2). In Study 1, students from Victoria University of Wellington completed a survey developed by the author along with scales measuring individual differences on ideal standards and sociosexual orientation. As predicted, Study 1 found that online dating is prevalent in this sample (especially using Tinder), attitudes towards it were generally positive, and those using it more were more likely to be single, more sociosexually unrestricted, and rate physical attractiveness as more important in potential partners. Study 2 investigated the use of Tinder more specifically through an experimental simulation of this mobile dating app. Participants were presented with series of attractive and unattractive faces and asked to indicate whether they would hypothetically seek further contact (click heart icon to the right of the face) or uninterested (click cross icon to the left of the face). Response times and selections were recorded. As expected, men selected more faces than women, and responded equally rapidly regardless of the attractiveness of the face. In contrast, women responded significantly faster to the unattractive faces than the attractive faces. Results were predicted and interpreted in light of parental investment theory and in the context of prior research on both online dating and speed dating.

History

Copyright Date

2017-01-01

Date of Award

2017-01-01

Publisher

Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington

Rights License

Author Retains Copyright

Degree Discipline

Psychology

Degree Grantor

Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington

Degree Level

Masters

Degree Name

Master of Science

ANZSRC Type Of Activity code

1 PURE BASIC RESEARCH

Victoria University of Wellington Item Type

Awarded Research Masters Thesis

Language

en_NZ

Victoria University of Wellington School

School of Psychology

Advisors

Fletcher, Garth