Tinder use among pakistani adults: a socio-psychological need perspective
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Keywords:
tinder, pakistan, online dating, social networking sites
Abstract
It is embedded in human nature to socialise with others. There are countless dating apps and websites that people benefit from; some may be for hook-up purposes, while others are solely for marriage. One of the most popular online dating apps in use nowadays is Tinder, which is simple and straight forward to use. People tend to seek out potential partners for all sorts of reasons; everyone has their agendas and needs to fulfil. Some may look for a long-lasting healthy relationship while others might look for a fling. It is in this context that this research seeks to investigate how the Uses and Gratifications theory helps to understand the usage patterns of the people who seek refuge in online dating, with particular focus on the use of Tinder in Pakistan. The research is based on a survey conducted from three major cities of Pakistan: Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi, where the maximum number of Tinder-users was reported. The respondents were between the ages of 18-40. Majority of the users identified themselves as Muslims. The survey results conveyed that the majority of the users use Tinder to gratify their needs, which include forming relations, getting sexual desires fulfilled, making friends and spend their time after a busy day. The findings reveal that the respondents of the study used this app for their psychological needs, such as finding someone talk to when they are lonely and for their social needs as well, such as making friends and meeting new people to increase their social circle.
References
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Ahmad, S., Mustafa, M., & Ullah, A. (2016). Association of demographics, motives and intensity of using Social Networking Sites with the formation of bonding and bridging social capital in Pakistan. Computers in Human Behavior, 57, 107-114.
Arnett, J. J. (2000). Emerging adulthood: A theory of development from the late teens through the twenties. American psychologist, 55(5), 469.
Bryden, L. T. (2017). Online Dating Applications and The Uses and Gratifications Theory.
Byrnes, J. P., Miller, D. C., & Schafer, W. D. (1999). Gender differences in risk taking: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 125(3), 367.
Connolly, J., Pepler, D. J., Craig, W. M., & Taradash, A. (2000). Dating experiences of bullies in early adolescence. Child Maltreatment, 4, 299-310. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077559500005004002
Duncan, Z., March, E. (2019) Using Tinder to start a fire: Predicting antisocial use of Tinder with gender and the Dark Tetrad. (2019). Personality and Individual Difference.
Fiore, A. T., & Donath, J. S. (2005). Homophily in online dating: when do you like someone like yourself? Paper presented at the CHI'05 extended abstracts on Human factors in computing systems.
Flug, K. C. (2016). Swipe, Right? Young People and Online Dating in the Digital Age.
Hancock, K., Keast, H., & Ellis, W. (2017). The impact of cyber dating abuse on self-esteem: The mediating role of emotional distress. Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace, 11(2), article 2. http://dx.doi.org/10.5817/CP2017-2-2
Hanson, R. F. (2002). Adolescent dating violence: Prevalence and psychological outcomes. Child Abuse & Neglect, 26, 447-451. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0145-2134(02)00321-6
Hopkins, P. E. (2006). Youthful Muslim masculinities: gender and generational relations. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, 31(3), 337-352.
James, J. L. (2015). Mobile dating in the digital age: computer-mediated communication and relationship building on Tinder.
Katz, E. (1959). Mass communications research and the study of popular culture: An editorial note on a possible future for this journal. Departmental Papers, 165.
Kokab, S., & Ajmal, M. A. (2012). Perception of love in young adults. Pakistan Journal of Social Clinical Psychology, 9(2), 43-48.
LeFebvre, L. E. (2018). Swiping me off my feet: Explicating relationship initiation on Tinder. Journal of Social Personal Relationships, 35(9), 1205-1229.
Ligtenberg, L. J. A., Netherlands: University of Amsterdam. (2015). Tinder, the app that is setting the dating scene on fire: A uses and gratifications perspective.
McQuail, D. (1984). With the benefit of hindsight: Reflections on uses and gratifications research. Critical Studies in Media Communication, 1(2), 177-193.
Mull, I. R., & Lee, S.-E. (2014). “PIN” pointing the motivational dimensions behind Pinterest. Computers in Human Behavior, 33, 192-200.
Murphy, M. (2015). Swipe Left: A theology of tinder and digital dating. America Magazine: The National Catholic Review.
Ali, N., Phillips, R., (2019). Halal dating: Changing relationship attitudes and experiences among young British Muslims. Sage Publications.
Olsen, J. P., Parra, G. R., & Bennett, S. A. (2010). Predicting violence in romantic relationships during adolescence and emerging adulthood: A critical review of the mechanisms by which familial and peer influences operate. Clinical Psychology Review, 30, 411-422. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2010.02.002
Ruggiero, T. E. (2009). Uses and gratifications theory in the 21st century. 3(1), 3-37.
Sevi, B., et al., (2017) Exploring the hook-up app: Low sexual disgust and high sociosexuality predict motivation to use Tinder for casual sex, Personality and Individual Differences, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2017.04.053
Shao, G. (2009). Understanding the appeal of user-generated media: a uses and gratification perspective. 19(1), 7-25.
Shapiro, G. K., Tatar, O., Sutton, A., Fisher, W., Naz, A., Perez, S., Networking, S. (2017). Correlates of Tinder use and risky sexual behaviors in young adults. 20(12), 727-734.
Sherry, J. L. (2004) Flow and media enjoyment. Communication Theory 14(4), 328-347.
Smith, A. W., & Duggan, M. (2013). Online dating & relationship: Pew Research Center Washington, DC.
Spielmann, S. S., MacDonald, G., Maxwell, J. A., Joel, S., Peragine, D., Muise, A., & Impett, E. A. (2013). Settling for less out of fear of being single. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 105, 1049 - 1073. doi: 10.1037/a0034628
Sterling, G. J. M. L. (2016). All digital growth now coming from mobile usage—comScore. 3.
Sumter, S. R., Vandenbosch, L., & Ligtenberg, L. (2017). Love me Tinder: Untangling emerging adults’ motivations for using the dating application Tinder. Telematics Informatics, 34(1), 67-78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2016.04.009.
Timmermans, E., & De Caluwé, E. (2017a). Development and validation of the Tinder Motives Scale (TMS). Computers in Human Behavior, 70, 341-350. doi: 10.1016/j.chb.2017.01.028
Valkenburg, P. M., & Peter, J. (2007). Who visits online dating sites? Exploring some characteristics of online daters. CyberPsychology Behavior, 10(6), 849-852.
Ahmad, S., Mustafa, M., & Ullah, A. (2016). Association of demographics, motives and intensity of using Social Networking Sites with the formation of bonding and bridging social capital in Pakistan. Computers in Human Behavior, 57, 107-114.
Arnett, J. J. (2000). Emerging adulthood: A theory of development from the late teens through the twenties. American psychologist, 55(5), 469.
Bryden, L. T. (2017). Online Dating Applications and The Uses and Gratifications Theory.
Byrnes, J. P., Miller, D. C., & Schafer, W. D. (1999). Gender differences in risk taking: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 125(3), 367.
Connolly, J., Pepler, D. J., Craig, W. M., & Taradash, A. (2000). Dating experiences of bullies in early adolescence. Child Maltreatment, 4, 299-310. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077559500005004002
Duncan, Z., March, E. (2019) Using Tinder to start a fire: Predicting antisocial use of Tinder with gender and the Dark Tetrad. (2019). Personality and Individual Difference.
Fiore, A. T., & Donath, J. S. (2005). Homophily in online dating: when do you like someone like yourself? Paper presented at the CHI'05 extended abstracts on Human factors in computing systems.
Flug, K. C. (2016). Swipe, Right? Young People and Online Dating in the Digital Age.
Hancock, K., Keast, H., & Ellis, W. (2017). The impact of cyber dating abuse on self-esteem: The mediating role of emotional distress. Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace, 11(2), article 2. http://dx.doi.org/10.5817/CP2017-2-2
Hanson, R. F. (2002). Adolescent dating violence: Prevalence and psychological outcomes. Child Abuse & Neglect, 26, 447-451. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0145-2134(02)00321-6
Hopkins, P. E. (2006). Youthful Muslim masculinities: gender and generational relations. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, 31(3), 337-352.
James, J. L. (2015). Mobile dating in the digital age: computer-mediated communication and relationship building on Tinder.
Katz, E. (1959). Mass communications research and the study of popular culture: An editorial note on a possible future for this journal. Departmental Papers, 165.
Kokab, S., & Ajmal, M. A. (2012). Perception of love in young adults. Pakistan Journal of Social Clinical Psychology, 9(2), 43-48.
LeFebvre, L. E. (2018). Swiping me off my feet: Explicating relationship initiation on Tinder. Journal of Social Personal Relationships, 35(9), 1205-1229.
Ligtenberg, L. J. A., Netherlands: University of Amsterdam. (2015). Tinder, the app that is setting the dating scene on fire: A uses and gratifications perspective.
McQuail, D. (1984). With the benefit of hindsight: Reflections on uses and gratifications research. Critical Studies in Media Communication, 1(2), 177-193.
Mull, I. R., & Lee, S.-E. (2014). “PIN” pointing the motivational dimensions behind Pinterest. Computers in Human Behavior, 33, 192-200.
Murphy, M. (2015). Swipe Left: A theology of tinder and digital dating. America Magazine: The National Catholic Review.
Ali, N., Phillips, R., (2019). Halal dating: Changing relationship attitudes and experiences among young British Muslims. Sage Publications.
Olsen, J. P., Parra, G. R., & Bennett, S. A. (2010). Predicting violence in romantic relationships during adolescence and emerging adulthood: A critical review of the mechanisms by which familial and peer influences operate. Clinical Psychology Review, 30, 411-422. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2010.02.002
Ruggiero, T. E. (2009). Uses and gratifications theory in the 21st century. 3(1), 3-37.
Sevi, B., et al., (2017) Exploring the hook-up app: Low sexual disgust and high sociosexuality predict motivation to use Tinder for casual sex, Personality and Individual Differences, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2017.04.053
Shao, G. (2009). Understanding the appeal of user-generated media: a uses and gratification perspective. 19(1), 7-25.
Shapiro, G. K., Tatar, O., Sutton, A., Fisher, W., Naz, A., Perez, S., Networking, S. (2017). Correlates of Tinder use and risky sexual behaviors in young adults. 20(12), 727-734.
Sherry, J. L. (2004) Flow and media enjoyment. Communication Theory 14(4), 328-347.
Smith, A. W., & Duggan, M. (2013). Online dating & relationship: Pew Research Center Washington, DC.
Spielmann, S. S., MacDonald, G., Maxwell, J. A., Joel, S., Peragine, D., Muise, A., & Impett, E. A. (2013). Settling for less out of fear of being single. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 105, 1049 - 1073. doi: 10.1037/a0034628
Sterling, G. J. M. L. (2016). All digital growth now coming from mobile usage—comScore. 3.
Sumter, S. R., Vandenbosch, L., & Ligtenberg, L. (2017). Love me Tinder: Untangling emerging adults’ motivations for using the dating application Tinder. Telematics Informatics, 34(1), 67-78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2016.04.009.
Timmermans, E., & De Caluwé, E. (2017a). Development and validation of the Tinder Motives Scale (TMS). Computers in Human Behavior, 70, 341-350. doi: 10.1016/j.chb.2017.01.028
Valkenburg, P. M., & Peter, J. (2007). Who visits online dating sites? Exploring some characteristics of online daters. CyberPsychology Behavior, 10(6), 849-852.
Published
2019-11-08
How to Cite
Sohail, S. A., Mahmood, Q., Khan, M. H., & Gull, Z. (2019). Tinder use among pakistani adults: a socio-psychological need perspective. Jurnal Studi Komunikasi, 3(3), 316-331. https://doi.org/10.25139/jsk.v3i3.1954
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