Key points
- What motivates people in committed relationships to continue using Tinder?
- Tinder users low on agreeableness also reported using it to have more sexual experiences.
- Neurotic individuals are using Tinder for the purpose of managing their mood.
- Dating apps offer an array of potential partners and are suited to those pursuing more sexual experiences.
We know that many people in committed relationships fail to delete their Tinder app. For instance, in one study some 73 percent of people indicated that one of their male friends who they knew to be in a relationship had used Tinder, and 56 percent of people indicated that one of their female friends who they knew to be in a relationship had used Tinder (Weiser et al., 2018). Furthermore, it was also found that some 17 percent of undergraduates had messaged someone on Tinder while in a committed relationship, and over 7 percent had engaged in a sexual relationship with someone they had met on Tinder while still in a committed relationship (Weiser et al 2018).
Therefore, how would you know if your Tinder date was actually single? Furthermore, what motivates people in committed relationships to continue using Tinder? Elisabeth Timmermans and her colleagues sought to investigate these questions by comparing Tinder users who were currently in a relationship with single Tinder users and those who didn’t use Tinder on their reasons for using the app and their personality characteristics (Timmermans, De Caluwe, and Alexopoulos, 2018).
Why People Use Tinder
First, the researchers found differences in the reasons for using Tinder between single Tinder users and users in a relationship. More specifically, Tinder users in a relationship reported a lower motivation to use Tinder to establish a connection with others, such as seeking a relationship, or even flirting, but instead were more concerned in finding a short-term liaison. Continue reading
