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The internet provides new opportunities for people to meet and form relationships, whether it be romantic or platonic. Unlike social media or chat rooms, online dating involves a dedicated site or application that matches individuals based on interests and motivations. These sites and applications often include a database of users that can be searched based on age, sex, location, and other factors.
There are several positives and negatives to Hookup Sites. Positives include expanding one’s social network, finding new friends, and a sense of control over who they interact with. Negatives can include increased loneliness, unwanted sexual messages, and the risk of potential partners misrepresenting themselves. In addition, some users may feel that their online interactions are more important than real-life meetings.
The Best Online Dating Sites and Apps for 2024
Online dating is a popular activity among older adults and the motivations for using it differ by demographics. For example, AARP researchers found that women over 50 reported the main reason they use online dating was to gain a sense of control. This was especially true for those who have traditionally primarily used men to initiate dating interactions.
Other reasons given for using online dating included a desire to cultivate new relationships, comfort after a life crisis, control over the presentation of self, to refrain of commitment and societal boundaries, and romantic fantasies. A small amount of research has also associated specific personality correlates with problematic online dating usage (e.g., anxiety-tendency correlates with Tinder use). Future studies could address this issue by utilising objective measures of usage and behaviour to assess the validity of self-report measurements.
