Gone are the days when going on a date meant actually stepping out to meet someone and plan things. With the onset of technology, literally, everything is available with just the push of a button. These days we've got a ton of dating apps to choose from. All one has to do is download them and then you can swipe left or right all day long. But if you're someone who does this compulsively, here's what it can mean for you.
New research has found that lonely and socially anxious single people tend to have a bad experience with dating apps especially if they use them compulsively. A lot of such people have reported negative outcomes from using dating apps. “It’s not just that they’re using their phone a lot, we had participants who said they were missing school or work, or getting in trouble in classes or at work because they kept checking the dating apps on their phones” said Kathryn Coduto, lead author of the study.
“I’ve seen people who use dating apps compulsively. They take their phones out when they’re at dinner with friends or when they’re in groups. They really can’t stop swiping,” she added. For the research, nearly 269 undergraduate students who used at least one dating app were surveyed. These students were then asked to rate their loneliness and social anxiety by asking them things like if they were constantly nervous around other people. Compulsive use of the apps was determined by asking whether they could reduce the amount of time they spent scrolling through the apps.
It was found that socially anxious people preferred talking to potential partners over the phone rather than actually meeting them and socialising with them. They agreed to statements like “I am more confident socializing on dating apps than offline.” Coduto said, “People need to be aware of their dating app use and consider whether they have a problem. If they have trouble setting limits for themselves, they can use apps that restrict dating app use to certain times of day or to a set amount of time each day.”
“Especially if you’re lonely, be careful in your choices. Regulate and be selective in your use,” she added. While dating apps may be great, one must understand that only by meeting people and socialising can they take the next step. Stay tuned for more updates.
