The risks of online dating: an explorative study of the perceived risks of Tinder use

The world in the 21st century is becoming more fast-paced and increasingly digitized. This digitalization can be understood as a separate plane of existence, an extension to the physical world, where almost all its aspects are reflected and transformed. Romance is no exception, with online dating fast becoming a standard way of meeting new people and engaging in romantic relations and Tinder being its prime example, as it is the first mobile dating application, as opposed to a dating website. Yet, despite the growing number of Tinder users, stigma still persists with non-users continually appraising online dating as something outlandish or even dangerous. Objectively, Tinder interactions are not without risks, however traditional dating is not exempt of risks either. The risks associated with Tinder have only vaguely been academically explored, unsurprisingly so as literature on the topic of Tinder is presently limited. This presents researchers with the opportunity to expand upon the possible knowledge and to contribute to the understanding of this phenomenon. In order to fulfil this need for more in-depth investigations, this study set an objective of measuring the effect gender and sexual orientation have on the risk perception of Tinder risks. Thus, by employing a quantitative approach, an experiment was conducted with a sample of 126 participants, all of which had shared their experiences with the mobile application through an anonymous online survey. The data obtained was used to conduct a set of tests to determine the predictive power of gender and sexual orientation. The findings did not discern gender and sexual orientation as the most significant predictors of risk perception, with three out of the four hypotheses tested within the study being rejected. A significant link was only found between gender and risk perception of inappropriate interactions (overtly sexual messages, unwanted advances, and aggression). These findings contribute to the understanding of risk as an individual-centric and complex topic, one deserving further exploration. Additionally, the results prompt reflection on whether gender and sexual orientation truly do play such an integral role in human perception and behavior, a topic that deserves more extensive exploration both within and without online dating.