Impact of Social Dating Apps on Young Adults' Dating Interpretation

This essay investigates the influence of social dating apps on the interpretation and expectations of dating among young adults, particularly in Malaysia. It begins by introducing the proliferation of these apps and their impact on modern dating, highlighting the increasing adoption of online dating among young Malaysians. The study explores how social networking and the presentation of individuals online can create perceived competition and potentially unrealistic expectations. It reviews the history of online dating and examines the interpretations and expectations users develop, noting potential negative impacts on psychological well-being and behavior. The research delves into the rising internet penetration in Malaysia and its correlation with online dating, addressing questions about user expectations, courage in pursuing partners physically, and potential links to sexual abuse. It also reviews existing literature on the effects of social dating apps, including cyber-bullying, grooming, and online cheating, particularly affecting young women seeking long-term partners. The essay concludes by emphasizing the significance of understanding how social dating apps are integrated into the culture of young people and their potential impact on relationships and values.

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How Social Dating Apps Affect Interpretation and Expectation of Dating Among Young
Adults
Student’s Name
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Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Background: Brief history of online dating.................................................................................4
Online dating in Malaysia........................................................................................................5
Significance of the study.................................................................................................................7
Literature review..............................................................................................................................7
Methodology..................................................................................................................................10
Operationalization......................................................................................................................11
Data collection methods.........................................................................................................11
Validity and reliability test 13
Survey form 14
References......................................................................................................................................16

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Introduction
Dating has taken a new twist since the advent of internet and social media. Advancements in
technologies such as internet and telecommunication have greatly impacted how people date in
the modern world. Individuals having trouble getting a life partner and have access to
Smartphones are no longer worried in Malaysia. This has been possible due to the proliferation
of social dating apps which an individual needs to download, install and sign up. After signing
up in the dating apps, a person can then go forward to pursue a partner of their choice. In
Malaysia alone, there are tens of social dating apps such as Tinder, Grindr, OkCupid, BeeTalk
and among others. The presence and use of these apps in Malaysia is a demonstration of how
online dating has penetrated its social fabric. Alam, Islam, Mokhbul, and Makmor (2018, 192)
claim that online dating sites are gaining traction in Malaysia. They added that online dating
communities have market potential, thus comprehending the perception of young people and
factors that persuade them to use a site is something of interest to marketers. In addition, the
adoption of online dating is rapid among young people in Malaysia. Nonetheless, social dating
apps to some great level affect the interpretation and expectations of dating among the youth.
Social networking has created perceived competition among the young population. The
competition comes from how every individual online will want to present themselves. Those
who have powerful Smartphones will use filters to improve their appearance online to attract
suitors. This will raise expectations of the young people marooning on online dating sites, but
only to be disappointed when they physically get to see the person they were pursuing online.
Background: Brief history of online dating

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Online dating is a phenomenon that began nearly 20 years ago. As internet was invented and
penetrated into different nations, people got opportunities to innovate social dating apps.
However, there are people who argue that way before the Web was developed, newsgroups,
bulletin board services influenced online dating (Brainz). People could post their own ads that in
some way communicated that they were looking for a life partner. Later, the internet service
providers offered chat rooms and forums where single people were featured. However, at this
level internet was not able to support dating culture worldwide, due to technical limitation and
slow adoption of dating culture. As internet started growing, people created dating websites such
as Kiss.com as early as in 1994.
By 1996, dating Websites in Yahoo had grown to 16. This is to say that online dating
had started late in the 20th century. Towards the dawn of the 21st century, internet dating was
gaining momentum especially following the release of a “You’ve Got Mail” movie which carried
the idea of online dating though indirectly (Brainz). The portrayal of online dating in movies was
a major cultural boost to internet dating. Tech-experts, rode on the acceptance of internet dating
to develop dating apps to give people an opportunity to use them at their comfort when searching
for a life partner. Towards 2010, dating apps such as Tinder had already been created. Many
other countries such as Malaysia started adopted it and today it has been cloned. It is through
cloning of dating apps such as Tinder that many other apps such as Badoo have been created and
adopted.
As the digital space grows, dating apps have been able to grow significantly. However,
the social networking apps which are easily installed on Smartphones have been core in the
initiation of new relationships. Wang (2019) conducted a netnography analysis on “virtual
cohabitation in online dating sites” to understand experiences people gain from online dating and

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how they interpret the virtual cohabitation model. In the findings, it was found that
interpretations people hold online differ. In addition, the author indicates that social dating sites
impacts behavior; they are love traps and generally impact one's psychological wellbeing. Since
online dating can impact ones’ behavior, in all probability the interpretations individuals attach
to every aspect of their communication with potential partners are likely to have different
meanings. It is the interpretation people give to every message shared with them on online dating
sites that will determine their expectations.
Online dating in Malaysia
In 2016, MCMC (Malaysia communication and media commission) indicated that there
is 78.7 percent internet penetration in Malaysia in the first quarter of 2016 (Hawafi, Hassan, and
Ayub, 2017, p.719). This was a sharp increase compared to other years and this signified a spike
in online dating. The youthful population in Malaysia is reported to be the highest in number to
subscribe to internet. In provinces such as Penang, especially in Georgetown, there are young
people who are taking dating online. They put their particulars right from age, height and body
weight with a goal of getting someone who can be willing to date them.
Purpose of study/problem statement
The background information on online dating has revealed social dating has proliferated.
With rising internet penetration in Malaysia, online dating has proportionally increased. On this
basis, this research will investigate how social dating apps impact expectation as well as
interpretation of dating among young adults.
Research questions

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For this study, the research questions to asked are as follows:
How does internet penetration influence ones use of social dating apps?
Does online dating raise users expectations to unexpected levels?
Does the use of online dating apps to get partners to imply inability or lack of courage to
physically pursue an individual?
Research objectives
To investigate how young adults in Malaysia are interpreting social dating apps.
To find out the expectation users of social dating apps have when using the apps.
To find out if Smartphone and internet penetration in Malaysia influences use of social dating
apps.
Hypotheses
Internet penetration in Malaysia has contributed significantly to toto the adoption of online
dating among young adults.
Online dating accounts for a significant number of successful romantic relationship in Malaysia.
Social dating apps are used by online young adults who do not have the courage to face potential
suitors.
Social dating apps account for sexual abuse and prostitution in Malaysia.
Significance of the study

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This study is significant because it will reveal how young adults in Malaysia rely on
social dating apps to get partners. Online dating is fully integrated into the culture of young
people and this research will help understand how they are affected. This is a phenomenon that is
influencing behavior and to some level, it is likely to impact values such as courage and
confidence. In essence, this study will greatly inform the audience how social dating apps are
impacting relationships. The young people are considered as future nation-builders and therefore
this study will address the concerns that people have about online dating in Malaysia. Thus, this
research will be informative and will allow the target audience to make informed decisions
before they start using social dating apps.
Literature review
This chapter discusses the in-depth review of scholars who have put their voice on the
issue of social dating apps’ effects on the youth in Malaysia and other regions in the world.
technology has transformed the lives of people in different ways for example, how people think,
behave and conduct themselves in the modern world is totally different from the same way
people used to some years back according to Banks (2016, p.51). The dating life is one other area
that technology through the innovation of social apps has totally transformed. Even though
dating through social apps is today happening everywhere around the world, its effects on young
people in Malaysia have been greatly researched by different scholars.
According to the study by Blackhart, et al. (2014, p.113) even though 29% of all
Malaysians have used social dating apps, the percentage is high up to 75% of the millennia’s in
Malaysia that have used the social dating apps. Out of this 75%, Blackhart, et al. (2014, p.113)
found out that 10% are embarrassed to admit the fact that they have ever met a partner through

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online dating platforms. In normal circumstances, couples dating will be happy to share it with
their friends and even their parents because according to Ghazali, and Alisiri (2014, p. 11)
through dating, partners can have a healthy relationship since dating provides an opportunity for
couples to understand each other before getting married. But with couples fearing to introduce
their partners to their family members or even friends as the research above suggests, it’s clear
that most young people who engage in online dating are not expecting their relationship to go
into marriage unlike before the existence of online dating (Goes, Lin, and Au, 2014, p.222). This
is further supported in the study conducted by Huber, et al. (2017, p. 269) on the internet usage
behavior and found out that most of the young adults who use the internet in Malaysia are not
only single but they are also looking for partners. The study estimates that 74% of these young
adults tried to use the internet to further their relationship Huber, et al. (2017, p. 269).
According to Hamsi & Bahry (2015, p.169), the main reason that online dating leads to
failed relationships is that it’s difficult to know what the actual intentions of your partner are.
This was clarified in a study by Johari & Sarkawi, (2016, p.54) who found out that 50% of young
adults in Malaysia have fallen victim of cyber-bullying as a result of using social dating apps.
Kee & Yazdanifard, (2015, p. 20) agreed with these findings by stating that it’s easy for young
adults to trust everything their prospective partner tells them online. Because of this, stalkers find
it easy to trap or bully these young people. Kee & Yazdanifard, (2015, p. 20). Additionally, Kail
& Cavanaugh (2018, p.87) in their study found that in the process of looking for a partner online,
30% of young adults have been victims of grooming. According to Luo et al. (2014, p. 1273), the
main reason that young adults end up as victims of grooming in the process of dating is that in
the process of charting with their prospective partners online, they get so excited and disclose
confidential information. For example, McWilliams & Barrett (2014, p. 411) stated that 90% of

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young adults are genuine with everything they post online that is, their phone numbers and home
addresses. This confidential information is also found on the profile of these young adults which
makes it easy for predators to use it to forge relationships with the aim of grooming them
according to Marret & Choo, (2018, p. 2352). In a different phone survey conducted by Malinen
(2015, p. 228) 30% of those who participated most of them being students, young single
individuals who are conversant with technology agreed to have had an online relationship before.
The fact that these young adults are currently not in the relationship that they ones had in the
social media further proves the fact that young adults have been cheated in their relationships
according to Prieler, (2016, p. 62). According to Ranzini & Lutz (2017, p. 80), most victims of
online cheating in Malaysia are young women who are looking for their lifetime partners. This
research was supported by the study by Ramirez, et al. (2014, p. 99) in their study which found
the reason for more young women to have fallen victim of online cheating than men is that 70%
of all the women who go for social dating in Malaysia are ready to commit into the relationship
with the man they find online because the women are looking for their lifetime partners.
However, in another study conducted by Sparks & Bradley (2016, p.74) it was found that most
young adults who engage in social dating in Malaysia are looking for casual relationships. This
research was supported by Solis & Wong (2018, p.1) in their study which found that 80% of
young men in Malaysia who engage in online dating are doing for the purpose of getting a short
time partner.
Further, a research was done by Yeow and Alam, (2011, p. 45) an empirical study on the
usage of social sites found that most of the young adults have access to the dating sites. The
authors also focused on the intention that people have when developing a relationship online.
Most of the female ion the online sites to get their life partners but for the male they are

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interested in making a causal relationship. So, it has increased the hope of females to find their
future partners through the websites. Further people believe that the site is the better way to go
when seeking for a life partner since the popularity of dating has taken the internet way. In
addition, Tanar and Tano, (2018, p.295) established that mobile dating creates and empowerment
among women. There is a high sense of security among women compared to a male since it
promotes psychological empowerment. It also explored the domain-specific perceived control
among women when using mobile dating apps. Domain-specific control was interpreted to be the
female user ability to influence the circles of their lives. Therefore, from the study, it was clear
social dating apps that support people have improved expectation since they are to initiate
conversation and also block them if required. Traditionally, males are seen to be the first to start
the conversation at the start of a romantic relationship but through dating apps, it has given an
expression platform for females to give feelings.
Methodology
This chapter discusses the research design, instruments of data collection, validity and
reliability of the research. To address the research question and the researcher should collect raw
data and analyze it effectively. By doing so, the researcher will be able to respond to the research
questions raised in the research. This is research that will require the researcher to go to the field
to gather data from respondents. Choosing the right and informed informants will make the work
of the researcher easier, on account that the respondents will be responding to knowingly to the
questions. The study wants to understand how young adults interpret social dating apps. In the
same breath, the study will investigate the expectations people have on social dating apps.
Conceptualization

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The use of online dating apps has become ubiquitous in Malaysia and nations. To
understand this, the research will investigate several issues such as, between males and females
who rely on social dating sites frequently. Alam et al. (2018, p.193) underscore the proliferation
of social dating apps. Malaysia of recent has experienced a significant rise in reliance on online
dating apps. This is a paradigm shift, given that the conventional way of dating has completely
changed from offline to online. This change will be the focus of this research, in the sense that it
will reveal important information that helps understand behavior change and adoption of online
dating.
Operationalization
The research will also probe the interpretations and expectations of individuals that use
these apps. More importantly, this research will use mixed design method, which integrates both
qualitative and quantitative methods. According to Schoonenboom, and Johnson (2017, p. 107)
mixed methods research combines both the elements of quantitative and qualitative research to
broaden the understanding of research. In this study, the data to be collected will be both
quantitative and qualitative and that is why this method is appropriate.
Data collection methods
The research design to be used in this research is a mixed design method. This method
will interviews, questionnaires, and sampling. Interviews will be key in this study because they
will be used to gather as much information as possible. For the purpose of this study, semi-
structured questions shall be used. These questions are pre-determined; however, the research
will not stick just to them but will ask to follow up questions to gather as much information as
possible. Out of the 100 respondents that will participate in this research, only six of them will be

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interviewed. For the purpose of gender balance, three female adults and three male adults will be
interviewed. A wide variety of questions shall be asked so as to get as much information as
possible.
Questionnaires shall also be used to gather critical information on the perspectives of
different users of social dating apps have. The questionnaires to be distributed will be asked both
open-ended and close-ended questions. The open-ended questions will give the research the
leeway to respond to questions as they wish. There are no restrictions on how respondents will
answer the questions asked. The close-ended questions will limit the respondents in the sense
that they will not answer questions. The questionnaires will be distributed to the respondents
through emails and they will equally be required to send them back on email.
Sampling
The research aims to use only 100 respondents between 18-30 years of age. Social media
will be used to invite people to take part in this research. There are many groups and pages, with
millions of members on Facebook that can share the information about the invitation to
participate in the research. The people who will apply to participate in the research will be
chosen randomly; hence random sampling shall be used. The applications to participate in the
research will be randomly picked. The numbers of participants selected randomly are the ones
that will be given questionnaires to respond to a variety of questions.
Validity and reliability test
Reliability measure the consistency of data. If data that will be conducted in this research
shall be consistent, it will mean that it reliability (Noble, and Smith, 2015, p, 34). As indicated,
100 respondents will be used in this research and if a majority of these participants give

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consistent results that will confirm that the research is reliable. However, to test the internal
consistency of the research, Cronbach’s Alpha will use in SPSS. Cronbach’s Alpha is a measure
of internal consistently of a research by indicating a set of items that are related as a group. In
other words, Cronbach’s Alpha is a coefficient of consistency. On the other hand, validity in this
survey refers to the degree to which the survey measures the rights aspects of the research
(Noble, and Smith, 2015, p, 34). The validity of this research will be determined on how
effectively instruments of data collection shall be used. Thus, the effective distribution and
collection of survey forms will be used to test the construct validity of the research.

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Survey form
A one-month questionnaire on online dating
This questionnaire is part of students’ pilot test of finding how social dating apps affect the
interpretation and expectations of young adults of between 18-30 years.
You have been selected to answer all the questions asked in this survey form because of your
understanding of how online dating is affecting especially the young adults. This questionnaire
will provide information that will help society understand the impact of social dating apps on
young adults.
Name: ………………………………………..Contact…………………………..
Institution……………………………………
1. What dating apps have you ever interacted with in Malaysia? List them.
……………….. ………………………….
………………… ……………..……………
2. Reliance on social dating apps in Malaysia has increased exponentially following the
increased Smartphone penetration.
A. Very true B. False C. I don’t think so.
3. Do you think internet penetration has had an impact on adoption of social dating apps
among young people.
A. I agree B. I strongly agree C. I disagree D. I strongly disagree
4. How do young adults interpret social dating apps? Detail your answer.

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………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………..
5. What is the expectation of online dating apps?
A. To get beautiful life partner B. To interact C. To have many life partners
Explain your answer
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
6. Do you think social dating apps have caused irresponsible sex?
A. No. B. Yes.
Explain …………………………………………………………………………..
7. Have social dating apps lowered the courage among men to approach ladies physically
for a relationship?
A. Yes B. No.
Explain……………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
8. Social dating apps have eroded moral values among the young adults.
A. I agree B. I strongly agree C. I disagree D. I strongly disagree

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