Tinder Use and Romantic Relationship Formations: A Large-Scale Longitudinal Study

Abstract

The current paper aims to investigate if Tinder use predicts romantic relationship formation 1 year later and to identify demographic, personality, mental health, and substance use covariates in the relationship between Tinder use and romantic relationship formation. Data were collected by online surveys (two waves) among students in Bergen, Norway. The first survey was administered during fall 2015 (T1). The follow-up took place 1 year later (fall 2016, T2). The sample consisted of the 5253 participants who reported to be single at T1. The surveys included questions about Tinder use, demographics, personality (the Five-Factor Model's personality traits), mental health (i.e., symptoms of depression and anxiety), alcohol use, and use of illegal substances. Bivariate comparisons were conducted to assess differences in demographics, personality traits, mental health, and substance use between Tinder users and non-Tinder users. Further, crude and adjusted binary logistic regressions were employed to investigate if Tinder use at T1 predicted romantic relationship formation at T2, when controlling for relevant covariates. Tinder users differed from non-users on almost all included variables. Compared to non-users, Tinder users were younger and more likely to be men, born in Norway, childless, and non-religious. Tinder users had higher scores on extroversion and agreeableness and lower scores on openness compared to non-users. Further, compared to non-users, Tinder users reported more symptoms of anxiety and were more likely to have hazardous, harmful, or dependent alcohol use and to report use of illegal substances. Compared to non-users, Tinder users had a higher likelihood of having formed a romantic relationship at T2 in the crude model (p < 0.05) and when controlling for demographic (p < 0.05) and mental health (p < 0.05) covariates. However, when controlling for personality, substance use, and all included covariates, the difference in likelihood of romantic relationship formation was no longer significant. In conclusion, the current results suggest that Tinder users have a higher likelihood of forming romantic relationship longitudinally, but that this increased likelihood can be explained by Tinder users' personality and substance use characteristics.

Do young dating app users and non-users differ in mating orientations?

“…Dating apps users, although open to short-term relationships, are not reluctant to long-term mating. This converges with previous results as longitudinal higher likelihood of forming romantic the longitudinal by Tinder users [ 34 ] or that previous use is not related to being single [ 10 ]. This pattern of results opens the door to the perception that there may be flexibility in mating orientations and preferences and that they can coexist simultaneously in people seeking both a casual relationship and a romantic relationship [ 24 ].…”

“…Recently, it has been found that Tinder users have a higher likelihood of forming romantic relationship longitudinally, but that this increased likelihood can be explained by Tinder users’ personality and substance use characteristics [ 34 ]. That previous dating apps use is not related to currently being single [ 10 ] can be interpreted as indicative that users are not relationship-avoidant people.…”

Drinking and Social Media Use Among Workers During COVID-19 Pandemic Restrictions: Five-Wave Longitudinal Study

“…We discovered that increased use of dating apps was associated with increased risky drinking during the pandemic. Our longitudinal evidence supports previously noted findings that dating app users drink more than nonusers, and this pattern increases during their dates [ 34 - 36 ]. It is likely that alcohol is consumed during the dates, despite bars being closed.…”

“…Furthermore, it seems that some social media apps are more popular among risk drinkers. For example, studies on Tinder users have shown that they drink more than nonusers do [ 34 - 36 ]. Dating app users are also more likely to engage in hookups involving alcohol use [ 37 , 38 ].…”

Online dating applications and risk of youth victimization: A lifestyle exposure perspective

“…However, none of the previous studies have analyzed the role of risky online routines in victimization risk. In this study, we study whether the risky online routines mediate the relationship between ODA use and various sexual and nonsexual victimization experiences while controlling for other relevant risk factors, such as substance abuse (see e.g., Erevik et al, 2020). We will also test the connection between ODA use and online victimization in four national contexts.…”