Social Dating Apps' Influence on Young Adults' Dating Expectations

This report investigates the impact of social dating apps on young adults' perceptions and expectations of dating. It employs a quantitative method using a cross-sectional design with a survey distributed on Facebook. The study is grounded in attachment theory, consumer culture theory (CCT), and social constructionism to understand how young adults form attachments through online dating, how their self-concepts are shaped by online dating services, and how race and gender are conceptualized within these platforms. Data is collected via a thirteen-question Qualtrics questionnaire, focusing on sites used, treatment perception, purpose of use, honesty perception, social acceptability, and demographics. Convenience sampling targets Facebook users aged 18-24, with a predominantly female and European American/White demographic. The research aims to address gaps in previous studies by examining how young adults perceive their experiences on online dating platforms, exploring youth culture, intimacy, and the intersection between the two.

Methodology 1
METHODOLOGY
By (Student’s Name)
Professor’s Name
College
Course
Date

Methodology 2
METHODOLOGY
3.0 Introduction
The quantitative method is used in this study based on cross-sectional design. Notably,
the study comprised of a one-time, unspecified survey on Facebook.
3.1 Conceptualisation
3.1.1 Attachment Theory:
The ideal backdrop of this researcher is anchored significantly on attachment theory. It
applies to adolescent and young adults’ development. Young adults form an attachment to their
peers and become romantic partners. This topic will be examined via attachment theory to
understand why and how young adults attach to their companions by dating online to understand
challenges they face.
3.1.2 Consumer Culture Theory (CCT):
CTT helps examine how products bought by people alongside the broader culture in
which they participate shape their own self-concepts alongside identities. Online-dating is
elucidated by perceiving services for online-dating as the products while Facebook users as
customers. Facebook users will be forming a sense of self based on messages they see thus
feasible that dating online has accomplished such a high popularity extent. CTT uses consumer
culture viewpoint to illuminate how culture is formed and altered by online-dating services
(Hefner & Kahn, 2014).
3.1.2 Social Constructionism:
Social constructions posit that every realty remains constructed or created via human
beings’ social exchange thus each “reality” stays subject to alterations anchored on interpersonal
interactions’ context happening every time (Alhabash et al., 2014). This concept, when applied

Methodology 3
to race and gender, shows that the values assigned to gender and race are functions of time and
prevailing cultural setting which never replicate reality. Online-dating determines how race and
gender classification are conceptualized since altered language creates novel debates about race
and gender and how social sites influence youth culture.
3.2 Operationalization
Online-dating amongst young individuals is popular because it offers opportunities for to
seek proximity. It is also intertwined with youth culture and provides anonymity despite
perceived threat of discrimination and deception (Quiroz, 2013). The questionnaire helps
address the gaps in past studies through the examination of how young adults always perceive
their own experience on online dating platforms. It will help establish how young adults use
Facebook, how they are treated and how the identify themselves which help explore youth
culture, intimacy and the intersection between the two intersect (Zwilling, 2013).
3.3 Data Collection Methods
Qualtrics will help collect and analyze data. A thirteen-question questionnaire will be
created using Qualtrics based on past studies. Every question will fall into 1 of 6 categories (sites
utilized, treatment perception, the purpose of use, honesty perception, social acceptability of
online-dating perception and demographic questions). Questions will be a multiple choice
alongside demographic-based questions. Where a response cannot be captured in multiple choice
options, “Other,” will be chosen and writing in provided spaces (Hou & Lundquist, 2013). The
researcher will send out the survey on Facebook. The participants will voluntarily participate.
Respondents will initiate participation independently by clicking the link to survey questions.
Qualtrics system will sort and analyze responses upon completion.
3.4 Sampling

Methodology 4
Convenience sampling will consist of voluntary users on Facebook. The sample will
comprise subjects between the ages of 18 and 24 years with three-quarters being females. Ninety
percent of the participants will be identified as European American/White; 6% as Asian-
Americans, 2% as Hispanic and 2% as African Americans. Eighty-seven percent will be
identified as heterosexual, 9% as bisexual, and 2% as homosexual, and 2% as “Other.”
Initially, the survey is expected to yield about sixty-seven responses. Only completed
questionnaire within proper age will be counted and with exclusion of participants beyond 24
years. 55 viable responses are expected.
All participants will be recruited on Facebook through an online link leading to Facebook
page of research alongside this script: “Hello everybody! I am presently working a study project
for my course in social work. I am kindly seeking subjects aged between 18 and 24 years to
participate in a momentary survey about young individuals and their individual experiences
utilizing online-dating sites alongside applications. The investigation shall take roughly fifteen
minutes. Kindly click this link underneath if you are interested in participating, any assistance
will be highly appreciated! In case of any comments regarding my study or even questions for
me, kindly contact through phone or email. Thank you very much.
This will allow people to be recruited fully anonymously. Where a person chooses to
partake, they will click the link. The link will direct the subjects to a virtual consent form that
will be presented to every subject at the start of the survey. The researcher will not obtain any
identifiable info regarding respondents. Respondents will be required to acknowledge that they
are at minimum eighteen years to participate (Rightler-McDaniels and Hendrickson 2014).
The phone number, email, and contact information of the researcher will be provided
alongside the consent form. Respondents will be offered “decline” and exit or “accept and

Methodology 5
continue (Finkel et al., 2012). Participants who will choose to proceed will be redirected to the
survey. In case participants decide to rescind their participating in the survey later, they might
exit the study anytime up to submission point.

Methodology 6
References
Alhabash, S., Hales, K., Baek, J. and Oh, H., 2014. Effects of race, visual anonymity, and social
category salience on online dating outcomes. Computers in Human Behavior, 35, 22–32.
Finkel, E., Eastwick, P., Karney, B., Reis, H. and Sprecher, S., 2012. Online dating: A critical
analysis from the perspective of psychological science. Psychological Science in the Public
Interest, 13, 3–66, doi: 10.1177/1529100612436522
Hefner, V. and Kahn, J., 2014. An experiment investigating the links among online dating profile
attractiveness, ideal endorsement, and romantic media. Computers in Human Behavior, 37, 9-
17.
Hou, L. and Lundquist, J., 2013. Mate selection in cyberspace: The intersection of race, gender,
and education. American Journal of Sociology, 119(1), 183-215.
Perrin, P., Heesacker, M., Tiegs, T., Swan, L., Lawrence, A., Smith, M., Carrillo, R., Cawood,
R., Mejia-Millan, C., 2011. Aligning mars and venus: The social construction and instability of
gender differences in romantic relationships. Sex Roles, 64, 613–628, doi: 10.1007/s11199-010-
9804-4
Quiroz, P., 2013. From finding the perfect love online to satellite dating and ‘loving-the-
oneyou’re near’: A look at Grindr, Skout, Plenty of Fish, Meet Moi, Zoosk and Assisted
Serendipity. Humanity and Society, 37(2), 181-185, doi: 10.1177/0160597613481727
Rightler-McDaniels, J. and Hendrickson, E., 2014. Hoes and hashtags: Constructions of gender
and race in trending topics. Social Semiotics, 24, 175-190.
Zwilling, M. 2013. How many more online dating sites do we need? Forbes, Retrieved from:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/martinzwilling/2013/03/01/how-many-more-onlinedating-sites-do-
we-need/