Love Me Tinder: Untangling Emerging Adults’ Motivations for Using the Dating Application Tinder

• In Event: ICA Plenary Interactive Paper/Poster Session II
  In Interactive Paper Session: Information Systems Interactive Poster Session

Abstract

Although the smartphone application Tinder is increasingly popular among emerging adults, no empirical study has yet investigated why emerging adults use Tinder. Therefore, we aimed to identify primary motivations of emerging adults to use Tinder. The study was conducted among Dutch emerging adults between 18 and 30 years of age who completed an online survey. An exploratory factor analysis, using a parallel analysis approach, uncovered six motivations to use Tinder: Love, Casual Sex, Ease of Communication, Appearance Validation, Sensation Seeking, and Trendiness. The uncovered Tinder motivations differed according to one’s age and gender and were meaningfully related to Tinder outcomes, including offline encounters with Tinder matches. Notably, the findings call for a more encompassing perspective on why emerging adults use Tinder. Moreover, Tinder should not be seen as merely a fun, hookup app without any strings attached, but as a new way for emerging adults to initiate committed romantic relationships.

Author

• Sindy R. Sumter, U of Amsterdam