University of Twente Student Theses
Finding love or self-affirmation? Exploring online dating applications usage and its multifaceted consequences on users’ well-being
Langert, L. (2021) Finding love or self-affirmation? Exploring online dating applications usage and its multifaceted consequences on users’ well-being.
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| Abstract: | Online dating has become increasingly popular in today’s society. However, its positive and negative impact on users’ well-being has not yet been thoroughly investigated. Therefore, the current cross-sectional study aimed to examine if the frequency of usage of online dating applications predicts users’ well-being, with low frequency usage assumed to be associated with high well-being and high frequency usage with low well-being. These different effects are expected to occur due to increased self-esteem and body satisfaction following low frequency usage and increased self-objectification, body image concerns, and decreased self-esteem following high frequency usage. Participants (N = 178) were identified as users of online dating applications and anonymously completed measures via an online survey. Through a series of regression and mediation analyses, online dating frequency usage was found to be associated with users’ well-being. However, the chosen mediators body satisfaction, self-esteem, self-objectification, and body image concern were not found to significantly mediate the relationship between frequency usage and users’ well-being. Even though the association between frequency usage and well-being could not be explained by the chosen mediators, this study can be seen as groundwork for future research by testing the proposed theoretical frameworks while exploring potential other mediators. A tentative suggestion for online dating providers is to integrate warning signs against highly frequent use with suggestions to take a break or connect with existing matches. As online dating has led to a reconfiguration of the dating world, further research is needed to assess how users’ well-being might be both positive and negatively affected. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 77 psychology |
| Programme: | Psychology MSc (66604) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/85607 |
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