I Think About You Day and Night: A Quantitative Analysis of Imagined Interactions in Online Dating

• In Event: Online Dating and Relationships

Abstract

The present research sought to better understand the dynamic realm of Online Dating, by employing an online survey (n = 220) that investigated Millennials’ Imagined Interactions (IIs) about their self and others during online dating. Quantitative, statistical analyses were carried out on the generated data to locate the specific characteristics and functions of IIs that are activated during the online dating process. IIs exhibit intrapersonal characteristics (frequency, proactivity, retroactivity, variety, discrepancy, self-dominance, valence, specificity) that influence how persons think about themselves and others, as well as interpersonal functions (relational maintenance, conflict linkage, rehearsal, self-understanding, catharsis, compensation) that guide future encounters and communication with others. The findings indicate that several characteristics and functions of IIs are activated during major themes of online dating; honesty – compensation, frequency, trust – self-understanding, compensation, catharsis, frequency; stigma – self-understanding, catharsis, relational maintenance, overall experience – self-understanding, retroactivity.

Author

• G.W. Carpenter, U of the Pacific