thesis about online dating in the philippines

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Perceptions, motivations, and experiences on online dating among selected young adults

Online dating is relatively an unexplored topic, more so in the Philippine context. This study aimed to describe online dating of young adults in terms of their perceptions, motivations, and experiences and to identify factors affecting these. It used qualitative approach through interview to obtain...

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Bachelor's Theses

Online dating: a qualitative study on decision-making within tinder and grindr among emerging adults.

Copernicus I. Abadicio Aldreen Z. Alcantara Nigel Robin B. Atayan Gian Carlo S. Briones

Date of Publication

Document type.

Bachelor's Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts Major in Psychology

College of Liberal Arts

Department/Unit

Thesis adviser.

Roberto E. Javier, Jr.

Defense Panel Member

Homer J. Yabut

Abstract/Summary

Online dating has been a craze among the emerging adults in this digital age. Little research has been done to explore the factors affecting the decision-making of individuals who engage in specialized online dating platforms. Elements such as physical attractiveness, proximity, similarities, personal enjoyment, risk perception, Tinder & Grinder as a medium that gratify sexual needs, and drug & alcohol use emerged from the experiences of the respondents. Among these, physical attractiveness turns out to be the most influential factor. Through the experiences of the respondents, the researchers utilized a qualitative analysis on the most popular specialized online dating platforms which is Tinder and Grindr. Further studies may contribute in expounding on the positive and negative behavior and the outcomes of relationships that start with online dating applications.

Abstract Format

Running head: Decision-making within Tinder and Grindr

Accession Number

Shelf location.

Archives, The Learning Commons, 12F, Henry Sy Sr. Hall

Physical Description

100 leaves : illustrations ; 28 cm.

Online dating--Philippines; Dating (Social customs)--Philippines; Interpersonal relations--Philippines; Intimacy (Psychology)

Recommended Citation

Abadicio, C. I., Alcantara, A. Z., Atayan, N. B., & Briones, G. S. (2016). Online dating: A qualitative study on decision-making within Tinder and Grindr among emerging adults. Retrieved from https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/9419

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That Thing Called Dating: An Exploration of Dating Among Filipino Young Adults

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Osorio, M., Someros, M. (2016). That Thing Called Dating: An Exploration of Dating Among Filipino Young Adults, Unpublished Undergraduate Thesis, University of the Philippines Diliman College of Mass Communication.

This research explores what constitutes dating among Filipino young adults in urban and rural areas at present. Dating has been unclear to many in the current times. This study explores the dating scene in terms of motivation, meeting channels, types of dating, rituals and patterns, and influences. To evaluate what Filipino dating among young adults, survey and focus interviews were conducted in urban and rural areas. Aside from the conventional levels of relationship, testing is found to be very apparent among young adult Filipinos as they attempt to have a more intimate relationship with the other party. It is the trial and error stage that determines if the partners are attuned to each other and it is where they make the decision if the relationship is proceeding in more intimate levels. Using the cultural lag theory and script theory as grounds of this inquiry, it has been found that the young adults have not completely adapted to the new media platform of meeting potential partners and practicing new rituals with regards to dating. However, the Filipino dating scene is in the process of transitioning from the traditional to modern practices may it be in rural or urban areas.

Keywords: dating, filipino dating, young adult dating, dating scripts, cultural lag

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Online Dating: A Critical Analysis From the Perspective of Psychological Science

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Although the authors find that online dating sites offer a distinctly different experience than conventional dating, the superiority of these sites is not as evident. Dating sites provide access to more potential partners than do traditional dating methods, but the act of browsing and comparing large numbers of profiles can lead individuals to commoditize potential partners and can reduce their willingness to commit to any one person. Communicating online can foster intimacy and affection between strangers, but it can also lead to unrealistic expectations and disappointment when potential partners meet in real life. Although many dating sites tout the superiority of partner matching through the use of “scientific algorithms,” the authors find that there is little evidence that these algorithms can predict whether people are good matches or will have chemistry with one another.

The authors’ overarching assessment of online dating sites is that scientifically, they just don’t measure up. As online dating matures, however, it is likely that more and more people will avail themselves of these services, and if development — and use — of these sites is guided by rigorous psychological science, they may become a more promising way for people to meet their perfect partners.

Hear author Eli J. Finkel discuss the science behind online dating at the 24th APS Annual Convention .

About the Authors

Editorial: Online Dating:  The Current Status —and Beyond

By Arthur Aron

I agree wholeheartedly that so-called scientific dating sites are totally off-base. They make worse matches than just using a random site. That’s because their matching criteria are hardly scientific, as far as romance goes. They also have a very small pool of educated, older men, and lots more women. Therefore they often come up with no matches at all, despite the fact that women with many different personality types in that age group have joined. They are an expensive rip-off for many women over 45.

Speaking as someone who was recently “commoditized” by who I thought was a wonderful man I met on a dating site, I find that the types of people who use these services are looking at the wrong metrics when they seek out a prospective love interest. My mother and father had very few hobbies and interests in common, but because they shared the same core values, their love endured a lifetime. When I got dumped because I didn’t share my S.O.’s interests exactly down the line, I realized how dangerous this line of thinking truly is, how it marginalizes people who really want to give and receive love for more important reasons.

I met a few potential love interests online and I never paid for any matching service! I did my own research on people and chatted online within a site to see if we had things in common. If we had a few things in common, we exchanged numbers, texted for a while, eventually spoke on the phone and if things felt right, we’d meet in a public place to talk. If that went well, we would have another date. I am currently with a man I met online and we have been together for two years! We have plans to marry in the future. But there is always the thought that if this doesn’t work out, how long will it take either of us to jump right back online to find the next possible love connection? I myself would probably start looking right away since looking for love online is a lengthy process!

I knew this man 40 years ago as we worked in the same agency for two years but never dated. Last November 2013 I saw his profile on a dating site. My husband had died four years ago and his wife died 11 years ago. We dated for five months. I questioned him about his continued online search as I had access to his username. Five months into the friendship he told me he “Was looking for his dream women in cyberspace”. I think he has been on these dating sites for over 5 years. Needless to say I will not tolerate this and it was over. I am sad, frustrated and angry how this ended as underneath all of his insecurities, unresolved issues with his wife’s death he is a good guy. I had been on these dating sties for 2 and 1/2 years and now I am looking at Matchmaking services as a better choice in finding a “Better good guy”.

I refer to these sites as “Designer Dating” sites. I liken the search process to ‘Window Shopping’. No-one seems very interested in making an actual purchase or commitment. I notice that all the previous comments are from women only. I agree with the article that says essentially, there are too many profiles and photos. Having fallen under this spell myself…”Oh, he’s nice but I’m sure there’s something better on the next page…” Click. Next. And on it goes. The term Chemistry gets thrown around a lot. I don’t know folks. I sure ain’t feelin’ it. Think I’ll go hang out with some friends now.

Stumbling upon this article during research for my Master thesis and I am curious: Would you use an app, that introduces a new way of dating, solely based on your voice and who you are, rather than how you look like? To me, we don’t fall in love with someone because of their looks (or their body mass index for that matter) or because of an algorithm, but because of the way somebody makes you feel and the way s.o. makes you laugh. At the end of the day, it really doesn’t matter if someone has blue or brown eyes and my experience is, that most people place fake, manipulated or outdated pictures online to sell someone we don’t really are. And we are definitely more than our looks. I found my partner online and we had no picture of each other for three months – but we talked every night for hours…. fell in love and still are after 10 years… We met on a different level and got aligned long before we met. So, the question is, would you give this way of meeting someone a chance… an app where you can listen in to answers people give to questions other user asked before and where you can get a feeling for somebody before you even see them?

APS regularly opens certain online articles for discussion on our website. Effective February 2021, you must be a logged-in APS member to post comments. By posting a comment, you agree to our Community Guidelines and the display of your profile information, including your name and affiliation. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations present in article comments are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of APS or the article’s author. For more information, please see our Community Guidelines .

Please login with your APS account to comment.

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Profiling the Self in Mobile Online Dating Apps: a Serial Picture Analysis

Profiles in the widely used phenomenon of mobile online dating applications are characteristically reduced to condensed information mostly containing one or a few pictures. Thus, these picture(s) play a significant role for the decision-making processes and success, supposedly holding vital meaning for the subjects. While profile pictures in social media are omnipresent and some research has already focused on these pictures, especially selfies, there has been little attention with regards to the actual self-presentation when mobile online dating. In this paper, we show the results of a reconstructive serial analysis of 524 mobile online dating profile pictures investigating how subjects present themselves in the context of a mobile online dating app. This context is highly specific and characterized by continuous and dichotomous judgments by (unknown) others, unseen competition, and permanent validation of the self. Despite the conceivable multitude of possible self-presentations, our analysis led to eight clear types of self-presentation. Contemplating on subject's good reasons for presenting the self as one of many and not as varied and unique when mobile online dating, we refer to the discourse of the private self

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• Published: 05 August 2009

Relationships, love and sexuality: what the Filipino teens think and feel

• Jokin de Irala 1 ,
• Alfonso Osorio 2 ,
• Cristina López del Burgo 1 ,
• Vina A Belen 3 ,
• Filipinas O de Guzman 4 , 5 ,
• María del Carmen Calatrava 1 &
• Antonio N Torralba 3  

BMC Public Health volume  9 , Article number:  282 ( 2009 ) Cite this article

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In order to achieve a change among teens' sexual behavior, an important step is to improve our knowledge about their opinions concerning relationships, love and sexuality.

A questionnaire including topics on relationships, love and sexuality was distributed to a target population of 4,000 Filipino students from third year high school to third year college. Participants were obtained through multi-stage sampling of clusters of universities and schools. This paper concentrates on teens aged 13 to 18.

Students reported that they obtained information about love and sexuality mainly from friends. However, they valued parents' opinion more than friends'. They revealed few conversations with their parents on these topics. A majority of them would like to have more information, mainly about emotion-related topics. Almost half of respondents were not aware that condoms are not 100% effective in preventing STIs or pregnancies. More girls, compared to boys, were sensitive and opposed to several types of sexism. After adjusting for sex, age and institution, the belief of 100% condom effectiveness and the approval of pornography and sexism were associated with being sexually experienced.

There is room for further encouraging parents to talk more with their children about sexuality, specially aspects related to feelings and emotions in order to help them make better sexual choices. Indeed, teens wish to better communicate with their parents on these issues. Condoms are regarded as safer than what they really are by almost half of the participants of this study, and such incorrect knowledge seems to be associated with sexual initiation.

Peer Review reports

It is well known that, from the standpoint of public health, sexual relations among teens represent a risk factor [ 1 – 4 ]. Existing literature points to the alarming consequences of premature sexual involvement among adolescents [ 5 , 6 ]. Examining cross-country data, Wellings et al. establish that men and women in most nations begin sexual activity at ages 15 to 19 [ 7 ]. Far from settling with a marital or cohabiting partner, teens engaging in premature sex increase their risk of exposure to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and teenage pregnancy. According to UNAIDS and the World Health Organization, the global AIDS epidemic continues to grow and the number of deaths due to AIDS is increasing in most continents [ 8 ]. Every year, 14 million adolescents give birth, which in developing countries translates to one in three women under 20 years of age [ 9 ]. Owing to the health consequences, adolescent sexual behavior is certainly a growing concern.

Competent authorities are trying to find solutions to this problem (in the form of education programs and information campaigns). However, the average age of first sexual relation is still too low, while unplanned pregnancies and STIs remain high [ 10 – 13 ]. Some behavioral factors such as starting sex relations at a young age and having multiple (concurrent or serial) sexual partners, increase the risk of infections [ 5 , 6 , 14 – 18 ]. Moreover, the use of contraceptive methods does not seem to be effective enough to avoid unplanned pregnancies in youth [ 19 – 22 ].

In addition to the physical dangers, existing literature has likewise examined, albeit on a smaller scale, how early sexual activity could be compromising teens' emotional and psychological well-being:

Some studies assert that sexual activity is directly correlated to emotional problems among American teens; sexually active teenagers are more likely to be depressed and more likely to attempt suicide than teenagers who are not sexually active (even after controlling for sex, race, age and socio-economic status) [ 23 , 24 ].

Personal testimonies of young people reveal that emotional dangers of premature sexual involvement are real [ 25 ].

Most sexually experienced teens are already reporting feelings of regret over premature sexual intercourse [ 26 , 27 ].

Research points to different factors affecting early sex among teens. Several studies have confirmed more risky behaviors in males compared to females (higher prevalence of premarital sex, less likelihood to be sexually abstinent, increased odds of engaging in risky sex and younger age at first sexual relationship) [ 28 – 31 ].

Socio-economic status is also an important factor. Singh et al. ascertain that adolescent childbearing is more likely among women with low levels of income and education [ 32 ].

Several family variables have proven to be related to sexual behavior. Parent-child communication is protective against early sex [ 30 , 33 , 34 ], especially for girls [ 33 ]. Furthermore, according to the systematic review of American youth studies done by Buhi and Goodson, the youth's perception of parental attitudes toward sex is a stable predictor of sexual behavior outcomes [ 35 ].

Several studies show that the sources of information available to teens as regards sexuality are incomplete and inappropriate. A study in Costa Rica concludes that a more complete biological information is received compared to affective information. Furthermore, the same study reports that educational institutions are the most frequently used source, while the family stands in second place [ 36 ]. A Spanish research calls attention to the fact that almost half of the youth between ages 18 and 29 describe communication with their parents on sexual matters as inexistent (25.9%) and unsatisfactory (20.6%). While parents are the youth's favorite source of information, the youth in actuality turn to friends or partners for information [ 37 ].

Limiting current perspectives to the physical or biological dimensions of sexuality may further obscure fitting solutions. If intervention programs and future research are to be responsive to the needs of teens, what they feel and say should have weight in ongoing discussions. Expanding this research area has therefore the potential of uncovering important and useful insights on how to best help teens.

This research is the first step toward an international study (Project YOUR LIFE), on what the youth think and feel about relationships, love and sexuality; with the general objective of enabling future health education programs focusing on character and sex education to be grounded on youth's opinions and needs.

In particular, this paper seeks:

To know which is the preferred and actual main source of information about relationships, love and sexuality on representative samples of Filipino teen students;

To explore what topics the teens would want to know more about; and

To study their actual knowledge about the prevention of STIs and unplanned pregnancies as well as their attitudes toward specific issues such as sexism.

Data Instrument

In order to accomplish the research objectives, a paper-pencil questionnaire was crafted to gather data on the following categories: Socio-demographic characteristics; characteristics of the group of friends; use of free time; access and exposure to media; feelings, opinions and information sources on relationships, love and sexuality; and life goals.

The instrument consisted mainly of close-ended questions. A five-point Likert scale was used for attitudinal responses. The questionnaire was drafted in colloquial English and pre-tested in the field to 180 students. Questions were tested to ensure clarity, comprehension and suitability to local conditions. Content and length of the instrument was modified to last about 45 minutes.

Specifically, variables considered in this article refer to: youth's sources of information about love and sexuality; importance of parents' and friends' opinion about different topics; frequency of conversations with parents about different topics regarding sexuality, and desire to know more about these topics; degree of agreement with sentences showing disapproval towards different forms of sexism; knowledge about condom effectiveness; and sexual experience (whether the subject has had any sexual relation).

The wording of the questions and answer scales is described below where appropriate. The questionnaire is available upon request to the corresponding author.

The targeted study population was 4,000 students from third year high school to third year college in the Philippines. Subjects were obtained through multi-stage sampling of clusters of universities and schools.

Time and budget constraints yielded the limitation of choosing seven respondent regions out of the seventeen political regions. These are National Capital Region, CALABARZON, Central Luzon, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Davao and Northern Mindanao. The respondent regions were selected on the basis of having the greatest number of youth population while limiting two regions each from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao (the three island groups), plus the National Capital Region.

From each region, four institutions were identified as survey venues: one public high school, one state college or university, one private high school and one private university. Schools with wider representation of youth sectors (judgment-based) were chosen (Figure 1 ).

Sampling process .

The total of approximately 4000 students were targeted from the seven regions based on the respective contribution of the region to the total youth population. This sample size was chosen taking into account approximate sample size estimation criteria [ 38 , 39 ]. We worked with the criteria that 10 subjects would be needed per parameter included in a statistical model used to adjust for confounding. By parameter we mean each continuous variable and/or each dummy variable from categorical variables, that could be included in a model. Thus with a sample of about 4000 students we were quite confident to have sufficient statistical power to account for a good amount of variables in a given model. Equal samples were taken from each year level and from public and private sectors to improve subgroup analyses by school type. Classes were randomly selected.

Not included in the population were out-of-school youth. Priority was given to study in-school youth since one of the implicit objectives of the research is to generate insights on future formation channels for this specific group.

Finally, for the propose of the analyses of this paper, we focused only on high school students aged 13–18.

Data Collection

The questionnaire was implemented between July and September 2007 in twenty-eight schools from seven regions using standardized data-collection protocols. Prior to administering the survey to students, consent was obtained through the schools. Schools were invited to voluntarily participate in the research project, which was described to the schools as an effort to collect nationwide baseline data to guide future education interventions.

Data collectors travelled to each participating school to administer the survey sheets during class hours. Administration in schools (that is away from parents) has the reported benefit of increasing the respondents' sense of privacy and their willingness to disclose sensitive information.

Survey procedures were designed to protect student privacy by allowing for anonymous participation. Data collectors read a standardized script, including an introduction to the survey requesting the participation of students. The survey's scope and respondent anonymity with respect to the school and their parents was explained. Moreover, students were instructed that they might opt to leave any discomforting survey item blank. The survey was completed in approximately 45 minutes or one class period in classrooms or lecture halls. To the extent possible, students' desks were spread throughout the classroom to minimize the chance that students' could see each other's responses. Neither the survey administrators nor classroom teachers moved around the classroom while students took the survey. Students were told of the importance of providing honest answers and that no one would know how they responded individually. When students completed their survey sheet, they were asked to seal their answers in individual envelopes to be returned to data collectors. Lead researchers secured and transported survey sheets to Manila for data entry.

Analysis was jointly conducted at the University of Asia and the Pacific, Philippines and at the University of Navarra, Spain. Ethical authorization was obtained for the study by the Ethics Committee of the University of Asia and the Pacific.

Data were analyzed taking the weights and clusters of the sampling process into account by using specific survey commands of the STATA statistical package release 9. The survey mean. proportion and logistic commands of STATA enable the estimation of group means, proportions and logistic regression respectively assuming weights and cluster sampling and thus estimating appropriate estimates and standard errors. Significance levels of comparisons and model coefficients are performed by STATA survey commands using an Adjusted Wald test [ 40 ].

The survey was answered by 3,726 subjects (93% of the targeted population). Most of the 7% of non-participation (6.5%) was due to scheduling constraints of one institution. Responses of 28 students were omitted because they were older than the target sample age (13 to 24 years). Seventy-three subjects did not give age information, 2 did not give sex information and 22 did not specify whether their school or university was public or private. Therefore, 3601 respondents were used for the project (90.0% of the targeted population). Among these, 3044 subjects (high school students, 13–18) were analyzed in this paper.

A majority of the respondents were female (64.3%) between 16 to 18 years old (60.4%). Most of them were Roman Catholics (83.6%) and came from middle-income families (79.1%) and public schools (54.3%) (Table 1 ).

Participants were asked how often they got information regarding love and sexuality from different sources. The source most often marked as "always" or "almost always" by males and females respectively, was, by far, friends (57.5% and 69.6%), followed, in the case of males, by the Internet and youth magazines (27.1%); and, in the case of females, by parents (30.7%) (data not shown).

The questionnaire examined how parents' and friends' opinions regarding love, sexuality and other related topics were valued by the youth. Generally, it is observed that the youth (specially girls) value parents' opinion more than friends' in most topics (Figure 2 ).

Teens' reported level of importance of parents' vs. friends' opinion by areas of concern . Values are the average scores obtained in each item (in a five-point Likert scale labeled from a low "Not important" to a high "Vey important" score). p value of the adjusted Wald test taking into account the clustered sampling scheme: * p < 0.05. *** p < 0.001.

Parents' and friends' opinions are better appreciated by girls (compared to boys) in all topics. This difference is statistically significant for parents' opinion (p < 0.003 in "choice of friends" and p < 0.001 in all the other topics), and for friends' opinion except for "free time activities" (p = 0.005 for "way of dressing", p = 0.011 for "choice of friends" and p < 0.001 in the other topics) (data not shown).

When asked whether they have talked with their parents about the different aspects of sexuality (biological as well as affective/emotional aspects), they reported relatively few conversations with their parents. Concerning biological aspects of sexuality, topics mostly discussed with parents were, for males, pregnancy (21.7%) and STIs (20.5%); and for females, girls' physical changes (58.9%) and pregnancy (41.1%). On topics regarding feelings and relations, respondents mostly talked about how to better manage feelings and emotions (32.7% for boys, 44.8% for girls), and how to know if the person they are dating is the right one (26.4% and 36.7%) (Table 2 ).

On most topics (biological as well as affective ones), more girls than boys reported conversations with their parents. The highest difference was found on the topic "girls' physical changes", with 9.0% of boys and 59.9% of girls indicating they talked "somewhat" or "a lot" about this topic with their parents (p value < 0.001). On the contrary, "boys' physical changes" was the only topic on which more boys than girls reported conversations with their parents (18.8% of boys and 10.7% of girls, p value < 0.001).

Survey participants were also asked whether they would like to know more about sexuality topics. A wide majority of participants said they would like to know more about all the contents presented. However, both boys and girls expressed greater interest in issues such as how to better manage feelings and emotions (86.9% boys, 94.8% girls) and what "falling in love" means (83.3% and 89.9%). On most topics, girls showed a higher desire to know more, except boys' physical changes, contraception, how to know when one is ready to have sex and how to better manage sexual drive: on these topics, boys' desire to know more was higher (Table 2 ).

We identified some problems regarding the youth's knowledge about the prevention of STIs and unintended pregnancies. When asked about the risk they believe may occur if one has sex with condoms, the percentages of respondents answering "none" or "I don't know" were 42.9% for risk of AIDS infection, 43.7% for risk of genital warts infection and 40.6% for pregnancy, with higher rates among boys (p = 0.007, p = 0.016 and p < 0.001 respectively) (data not shown).

Attitudes toward sexism were explored by asking the youth whether they agree with media using women or men as "sexual objects", or associating femininity or masculinity to having more sexual relationships. On both items, more girls compared to boys were significantly sensitive and disapproving of sexuality being misused in advertisements (Table 3 ).

After adjusting for sex, age and whether institutions were public or private, the students that believe condoms are 100% effective against AIDS, STIs and pregnancies were more likely to be sexually experienced (OR= 1.59; 95% CI 1.09–2.33). Students that are approving of pornography and masculinity and femininity being equated to having more sexual encounters, were as well more likely to be sexually experienced after the adjustments mentioned above (OR= 1.69; 95% CI 1.25–2.29).

The respondents of the study were representative of private and public schools of the Philippines. We performed weighted analyses in the descriptive results in order for them to be representative of Filipino students.

According to the Philippine National Statistics Office, 81% of Filipinos are Catholic, and 8.2% belong to other Christian religions [ 41 ], which is similar to our weighted sample distribution. Regarding the distribution of sex, institutions report higher enrollment ratios for girls than for boys. Specifically, in secondary education, net enrollment ratios (NER) are 54% for boys and 65% for girls [ 42 ]. Since sex ratio (male/female) for these ages is approximately 1 [ 43 ], this means that approximately 55% of students are girls in high schools. This accounts for the higher female presence in our sample.

Referring to our paper sample of teens, the main information source about love and sexuality is friends. This is similar to studies from Sweden, USA, United Kingdom, Czech Republic and Spain [ 44 – 49 ]. Existing literature likewise provides evidence that media (Internet, magazines) are the second source of information, outranking parents, as happens in our male sample [ 45 , 49 ]. A study in Nigeria, however, sets parents in the first place among in-school girls [ 50 ].

Literature shows that communication with parents protects against early sexual initiation and against risky behaviors [ 51 , 52 ]. Conversely, information sources which are mostly used in our sample (peers, media) are not usually described as ideal for educating teens [ 46 , 53 ]. At the same time, parents' opinion regarding sexuality and other related topics is well valued by teens in our study. This is confirmed by surveys which also show parents being rated as preferred sources rather than as actual sources [ 47 ]. Furthermore, parents' attitudes toward certain risk behaviors (such as smoking and drinking alcohol) seem to be protective against those behaviors in their children [ 54 ]. This seems to show that parents' opinions are indeed taken into account when given to children. There is therefore room for further encouraging parents to talk more with their children about sexuality, including aspects related to feelings and emotions that could help them make better sexual and reproductive choices. This is specially valid for daughters, who give in our data much importance to their parents' opinion.

With regard to knowledge of sexuality, we observe that teens in most cases (specially among girls) have not talked about sexuality topics with their parents, but that they would want to know more. We must also stress that teens' desire for information is not limited to the biological aspects of sexuality. In fact, they are much interested to know more about the emotional aspects of relationships and sexuality. Examples are to know more about how to manage one's feelings and sexual drive; meaning of "falling in love"; how to know if the person one is dating is the right person; and how to tell the difference between desire, sexual attraction and love. Having a better understanding of these issues can be very useful to avoid premature sex [ 52 ], and parents agree that these aspects should be addressed [ 55 ]. Indeed, these issues are related to the perceived well-being of teens. With sex education programs concentrating on biological information [ 36 ], they are in effect highlighting topics that are of relatively lower interest to teens while downplaying education in the affective aspects of human sexuality which could be a powerful means to empower teens to make healthier life choices [ 56 ]. To our knowledge, the issue of making emphasis on affective aspects is seldom brought up in sex education policies.

Regarding sex differences in this issue, we find that, in general, girls talk more with their parents about most topics, and also want to know more. Boys only talk more about their own physical changes, and have a bigger desire to know more about these changes and about topics that might be related to their higher sexual drive.

The teens of our study also have incomplete information on some biological facts related to sexuality. Concerning condom effectiveness, for example, several studies show that condoms are "risk reduction" measures with respect to unintended pregnancies, HIV infection and other STIs and should not, therefore, be presented as "risk avoidance" measures [ 57 – 61 ]. We find that around 40% of respondents (even more among boys) have the wrong belief that condoms are 100% effective or report not knowing their effectiveness. This overconfidence or lack of information can lead teens to underestimate the risks they are taking [ 62 ]. Teens who believe condoms can avoid rather than reduce the risk of STIs, underestimate the benefits of abstinence and mutual monogamy, as found in previous studies [ 37 , 63 , 64 ]; this perspective may negatively affect their decision-making in sexuality. Risk compensation may come into play and increase their vulnerability to infections and unintended pregnancies [ 65 ]. Briefly, this hypothesis suggests that the introduction of new technological approaches or messages of prevention could reduce the perception of risk at the broader population level and thus worsen the compliance with other basic preventive behaviors. In the end, higher risk-taking could offset the protective benefits theoretically associated to the new approach. For example, risk compensation was described as an explanation for the initial failure of seat belt laws to prevent road accident deaths because drivers presumed that wearing a seat belt would protect them from riskier driving [ 66 , 67 ]. More recently, other researchers have extended the concept of risk compensation to HIV prevention [ 68 , 69 ]. Campaigns mainly focusing on condom use at the population level could paradoxically lead to an increase in risky behaviors (such as the number of sexual partners), if the population perceives condoms to be absolutely safe, irrespective of specific sexual behaviors. As suggested by a recent community trial in Uganda, the overall effect of some interventions could be offset by riskier behaviors at the population level and thus hinder the targeted decrease of HIV incidence [ 70 ]. Our results are consistent with this cited paradoxical effect since the teens that falsely perceived condoms as being 100% effective were indeed more frequently sexually experienced. More might have to be done to improve the content and quality of the information conveyed to teens. While it seems important to give comprehensive information about all preventive measures, programs should be abstinence centered when targeting teens [ 71 , 72 ]. Teens should be clear that it is better to avoid rather than to reduce risks and they should be helped to achieve risk avoidance as it is indeed the only option 100% effective. By focusing on abstinence one can better avoid the slippery slope of risk compensation [ 62 ].

It is true that some studies about abstinence programs have found no statistically significant effects on sexual behavior [ 73 – 75 ]. However, some of these studies had several methodological problems, as reviewers themselves recognize, which might account for the lack of significant findings. Furthermore, other studies do find some abstinence encouraging programs being effective in both developed and developing countries [ 76 – 78 ]. Besides, even if lack of effects was proven, it should not be a surprise that a few hours of sex education programs in school are unable to compensate for the opposite message often conveyed by some parents, media, authorities and society in general [ 79 ]. The question is not whether to promote abstinence among teens, but rather how to achieve this.

Finally, the existing literature shows several dangers in the generalization of sexism. The American Psychological Association points out several problems associated to the sexualization of girls [ 80 ]. These include cognitive difficulties, mental health problems and risk behaviors. On the other hand, boys' exposure to pornography increases the risk of aggressiveness, rape myths and gender stereotypes, all of which may be indirectly harmful for women and equality between males and females [ 81 – 83 ]. In our sample, we observe that while sexism is rejected by a majority of girls, it is accepted by most boys. Most males do not seem to find anything wrong with the misuse of men or women as sexual objects, or associating masculinity or femininity to having more sexual relationships. Having these aforementioned opinions and perceptions was likewise associated with a higher incidence of sexual experience in our study.

There are several limitations in our study. First of all, the cross-sectional nature of any study does not enable to easily infer causality between dependent and independent variables. However, some insight is possible to understand the teens' feelings and opinions, and how these dispositions consequently affect their behavior. Cross-sectional studies do have the advantage of being less costly and thus more efficient to obtain certain useful results. Our data do suggest sensible and plausible associations. For example, the association between perceptions and beliefs about condom effectiveness, sexism and sexual experience are consistent with the theory of risk compensation as described by other researchers [ 69 ]. In addition, reverse causation, i.e. that early sexual initiation produces incorrect knowledge about condom effectiveness, does not seem very plausible. The fact that more boys than girls want to know more about controlling their sexual drive and more girls than boys want to know more about how to manage their feelings is consistent with the natural mindset of each sex and what is expected. Aforementioned socio-demographic data are likewise consistent with existing population data for the Philippines. In summary, we did not find inconsistent responses nor important alternative explanations of our findings.

Another possible limitation is that our data is based on self-reported responses. It is notable, however, that our results are not what one would expect from respondents giving socially desirable answers. Research indicates that self-reported data such as those found in Youth Risk Behavior Surveys (YRBS) of the United States can be gathered credibly from youth surveys [ 84 ]. Internal reliability checks were used to identify the percentage of students who possibly falsify their answers. To obtain truthful answers, students were made to understand why the survey is important, and procedures were developed to protect their privacy and allow for anonymous participation.

The survey environment, questionnaire design and content, edit checks, logic within groups of questions, and some comparisons of our results with other studies give us confidence on the validity of our data.

As described in the methods section, the in-class and casual setting where the questionnaires were administered, has presumably minimized invalid responses because respondent privacy and anonymity were ensured. Furthermore, students were adequately instructed to leave any discomforting question blank. Students sat as far apart as possible throughout the survey venue and had an envelope to cover their responses. Only a few skip patterns were used in the questionnaire and, in any case, they were used in such a way that the difference in the time needed to complete the questionnaire between youth with or without sexual experience was insignificant. The questionnaire was designed to suit the reading level of at least a junior high school student.

The questionnaire was previously piloted on a sample of 180 students in order to assure not only comprehension and cultural relevance of items, but also to avoid leading questions that may influence students' responses. In summary, we have no reason to believe that self-reporting could have compromised our results.

Despite its limitations, our study has several strengths. The analyses we have performed and presented are consistent with our sample being representative of the Filipino student youth. To our knowledge, this is the first representative study of a student population in the Philippines that has studied the issues of relationships, love and sexuality in such depth. Since STIs are increasing all over the world and STIs are associated to having more lifelong sexual partners, and the latter with earlier sexual initiation, the study of whether certain messages are associated to earlier sexual initiation is relevant across different cultures and countries. There are no studies associating the perception of 100% condom effectiveness with earlier sexual debut. This is the most novel aspect of our paper, and it is also the aspect presented with multivariate adjustment. Our data bring up the important issue that teens themselves are requesting more emphasis on affective aspects of human sexuality when educating them. Furthermore, beyond the issue of external validity due to the representative nature of our sample, its large sample size has enabled us to perform better statistical adjustment where needed, analyses accounting for the clustered sampling strategy and thus improve the validity of our results.

Having a better understanding of what teens feel and think about relationships, love and sexuality, seems to be an important consideration in planning public health strategies to address common reproductive health problems in teen populations. This study highlights that Filipino students do not communicate as much as they would want with their parents on these issues. It seems that more can be done to improve parent-child communication as friends and the Internet are not the best information channels. Aside from improving the information source, more has to be done also to improve the content and quality of the information conveyed to teens. True informed choice and empowerment goes hand by hand with accurate information. In particular, condoms should be presented for what they are: a risk reduction strategy and never for risk avoidance. Survey findings seriously suggest that some messages conveyed to teens can indeed be harmful as these are associated with earlier sexual initiation. More public health resources should be spent on the maintenance of the lifestyle that better protects youth, i.e., in the case of this study, a lifestyle that is truly risk avoiding and beneficial to a larger section of the targeted teens. Our data suggests teens are requesting help to achieve a healthier lifestyle, and they are in fact more interested in character education encompassing affective aspects of sexuality rather than biological information. Global strategies should seriously take this request into consideration.

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de Irala, J., Osorio, A., del Burgo, C.L. et al. Relationships, love and sexuality: what the Filipino teens think and feel. BMC Public Health 9 , 282 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-9-282

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Strategies to Online Dating in the Philippines

Online dating is one of the biggest in the digital industry of the Philippines. It’s the classification that has the most users and the most number of services being offered .

So how do you maneuver the online dating scene in the Philippines to succeed? Here are the essentials of the dating culture in the country and recommendations you should follow to be victorious in the landscape.

Online Dating Culture in the Philippines

Filipinos and the internet

The young generations — even the older ones — seem to be fascinated with international trends. They are constantly trying out what is fashionable abroad and would often spin their own unique take on it. This amusement, fueled by the rapid rise of the internet as part of daily life, has catapulted the online dating industry in the Philippines to greater heights.

Despite the orthodox culture of the Filipinos, the use of online dating platforms has grown into epic proportions. The worldwide “swiping” revolution has taken the country by storm! Along with pioneering online dating sites and apps come more efficient and innovative platforms like TrulyAsian . 

The Filipino online dating culture

The rise of the internet in the Philippines has indeed paved a path towards modernization in the country. However, the Filipinos have still retained intrinsic values, especially in relationship matters. The Filipinos still consider romantic relationships to be something serious, whether in person or online. 

Online casual dating in the Philippines is a slow market. While the online dating industry is booming, most Filipinos use it to find long-term partners. To most single Filipinos, the internet is simply another way of meeting people aside from going out in social places. It may not be as practical, but it’s as viable as an option. This reasoning enables the singles in the Philippines to uphold socially acceptable behaviors online as they would in person. 

You might be wondering, what then is the dating culture in the Philippines?

The Filipinos are conservative people. The population is largely composed of Roman Catholics and other Christian believers. It has always been since the country was colonized by the Spanish in 1521. So, you can imagine how set in their ways the Filipinos are. 

The core values of the Filipinos are derived from the Church’s teachings on family, respect, love, and peace. The Filipinos manifest these values by highly regarding the elder’s opinions and advice, recognizing traditional gender roles, avoiding conflict, and other ways that prioritize faith and religious beliefs. In relationships, these values manifest through avoiding public displays of affection, delaying sexual relations until after marriage, and practicing monogamy.

As concepts of gender equality, inclusion, and freedom of expression and agency emerge, the dating culture of the Philippines has continually shifted. 

Today, the Filipino society is lenient (if not accepting) towards the LGBTQ community, the married who wish to separate, and the young to freely choose whoever they want to marry. They’ve adjusted to subtly express affections physically in public, have sex during the dating phase, and generally be assertive against oppressive or unfair standards.

In summary, regardless of setting — online or offline — the good-natured Filipino will always be patient, pliant, and kind.

Foreign influence on the dating culture in the Philippines

The Filipino’s amiable nature is not online confined to the Philippines but also extends to the world.

The Filipinos have a strong sense of connectedness to other nationalities. With so many Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), Filipino migrants in other countries, and tourists flocking the country itself, it has become natural for Filipinos to bond with foreigners like they would with any other Filipino. 

This attachment is translating into the number of foreign marriages in the Philippines. The latest data by the Philippine Statistics Office reveals that 3.5% of all marriages in the Philippines were between Filipino and foreign nationals.

This constant exchange among cultures has facilitated progressive changes in the mindset of the Filipino people, especially from the liberal West. 

In the present, women play an active role in the courting and dating phase. It is also now acceptable for singles to express their sexuality. Meanwhile, it’s now a norm for the young to take charge of their dating decisions. Foreign dating has also become typical. Lastly, the digital world has become a good way to mingle as physical locations.

How to Succeed in Online Dating in the Philippines

Now that you have an idea of online dating culture in the Philippines, it’s time to dive into it. Here are some tips on how to win in the country’s online dating scene.

1. Be open-minded

Filipino society is a mixed bag of beliefs. While most Filipinos are still tied to tradition, society overall is finding its way to be a more inclusive and less judgemental community. 

Through this transition, you must be understanding and open-minded. Online, find your balance. Decide on what you want and be clear on your preferences. At the same time, don’t limit yourself to a small-scale pool and explore. 

Also, work on your profile so it attracts many. Master the best dating profile tips to score a date .  Enhance your chances of getting genuine matches by completing your details and taking personality and relationship questionnaires honestly. 

Physical attributes are less important than attitude and character to Filipinos. You can show your assets even in pictures by choosing photos of you in action. Demonstrate your hobbies and passion. Is it sports? Art? Food? Travel? Whatever it is, nothing is more appealing to the Filipino than dedication and productivity.

2. Never stop learning

Follow the Filipino’s example! Study and be keen on which principles to grasp, accept or not accept. 

For example, read up on legit helpful advice on meeting Asian singles online or information about why online dating isn’t working for some. This will ultimately help you avoid mistakes that others committed. You will also gain essential second-hand experience that will speed up and enrich your online dating journey. 

It’s also a good idea to have connections to have a community that can emphasize and help with your unique struggles.

3. Prioritize safety

While the netizens generally reflect the population in general, we can’t deny that the internet may have more scammers. Online, it is easy for criminals to disguise themselves and pretend to be the perfect romantic partner. 

Choose a reliable app to meet Asian singles that ensure your security online. Opt for sites or apps that verify their users and provide support 24/7 should you need to report or block a user. 

Be aware of Asian dating scams to protect yourself as well. The Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP ACG) is the best source of information for romance scams on the internet. The Love Scam is the most rampant in the online dating landscape in the country, but it is also the easiest to avoid. 

Remember, you are the best person to protect you. The authorities are there to help, but you must learn by heart the signs of a possible scam. 

Below are some of the red flags you should watch out for:

• A scammer will avoid revealing their real identity. They will make up excuses so you can’t meet in person or can’t video call. 
• The scammer will try to get to know personal or intimate details about you to build rapport or obtain information that they can use to blackmail. Keep your sensitive data from people you have just met.
• In a short amount of time, the scammer will try to build a serious commitment that will seem inescapable for you. They will come up with an elaborate story that will solicit compassion and deep emotions. Never be hasty with extending help, especially if you have not known the person very long. Medical emergencies, airport/flight problems, or any time-pressured crisis are usually the tactics that scammers use to victimize. 

4. Be positive

To succeed in online dating in the Philippines, you must have a positive outlook. Filipinos are happy people able to smile even in tough times, so they are attracted to cheerful individuals. Allow yourself to have new experiences and let go of trivial things.

We know this is easier said than done, but there is no greater dating advice than this: Be the person you want to be with. 

5. Invest in your online dating journey

There are fantastic online dating sites that you can join for free. This gives you the chance to explore the hows of a site and ascertain your fit to the services it offers. 

Nevertheless, purchasing a premium account will augment your capabilities within the platform. For example, you can have uninhibited use of communication tools, or you can get to know potential dates better through access to more information.

A premium account will advance your search for dates and will support you take an active role in your online dating life.

Enjoy your online dating journey in the Philippines

Online dating in the Philippines is fun and bright. It is a promised adventure you simply must not miss. Your tropical hunk/beauty is just a click away!

For more dating tips and advice, check out our helpful guides .

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Home ⇛ arete ⇛ vol. 3 no. 1 (2015), use of online dating and social networking sites and risky sexual behavior.

Dave Bodiongan | Erika Jill Diaz | Monique Tagaytay

As the number of HIV/ AIDS continue to rise, it is important to constantly examine factors that contribute to the alarming rate at which sexually transmitted diseases especially HIV/ AIDS are spread in society. Online Dating and Social Networking sites have evolved over the years as more and more people are engaging in this kind of activity. Online social and dating sites give its users the opportunity to communicate with different people within their own social networks or are able to extend their own social network to include complete strangers. This could possibly lead to increased online interaction and later lead to offline activities and actual relationships. This study aimed to identify the level of use of social networking sites and dating sites and its relationship to users’ tendency to engage in risky sexual behaviors. By conducting a survey among 168 respondents, it was found that the respondents have a High level of usage of online dating social media platforms averaging 7 to 9 hours of use per week. The study also found that the respondents were likely to engage in necking, petting or have sexual intercourse with someone they met online. The respondents also said they would also likely have a one night stand with someone they met online and generally likely engage in risky sexual behavior with people encountered in online dating and social networking sites. The study found a positive but low significant correlation between the use of online dating and social networking sites and risky sexual behavior.

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The Paradoxes of Modern Dating

A conversation with Faith Hill about daters’ competing desires for structure and serendipity

This is an edition of The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here.

More than a decade after Tinder introduced the swipe, many Americans are sick of dating apps. As I explored in a recent article for The Atlanti c, the cracks are starting to show in what looked to be the foundation of modern dating. Now young people are yearning for a version of dating they may have never experienced—and that may have never truly existed, my colleague Faith Hill wrote recently . I spoke with Faith this week about how dating has evolved, and what people misunderstand about the purpose of dating apps.

First, here are three new stories from The Atlantic :

• The Columbine-killers fan club
• Democrats’ unproven plan to close Biden’s enthusiasm gap
• Taylor Swift is having quality-control issues.

The Mysteries of the Heart

Lora Kelley: In your article, you wrote that young people are longing for serendipitous connections or meet-cutes. Why is that?

Faith Hill: Many young people dating now have never dated without the apps. But we have all these romantic comedies where people are meeting strangers and falling in love, and young people are still hearing stories, sometimes from their parents, about how couples met. We still have a romantic ideal that does not involve dating apps. It’s easy to idealize spontaneous “meet-cutes” both because they’re so romanticized in our culture and because they’re kind of the opposite of online dating.

Apps are quite practical. You go out and you seek something intentionally. That gives you some agency, but it also takes away the appealing mythical element at the heart of the meet-cute: this idea that your relationship was meant to be.

Lora: How does living in a world of apps affect people’s understanding of what dating is?

Faith: For one thing, we’re now used to reducing the risk of rejection. Apps let you confirm someone is interested, to some degree, before you meet up—and that also creates a kind of built-in layer of consent, however imperfect.

Dating apps also give people more options. That’s good and bad. We should expect a lot from our partners and not just feel stuck with the only prospect. But it can also create the feeling that there’s always someone better out there.

Lora: To what extent have shifting norms around flirting with strangers reshaped how people meet and date?

Faith: People do still meet out and about. But it’s not an amazing fit for today’s culture. We have this idea of meeting someone in a grocery store while reaching for the same cantaloupe or whatever. But many of us don’t actually want strangers talking to us in the grocery store—that can feel like an intrusion. And I think it’s a good thing that we are more sensitive now to what might feel pushy or creepy. What seemed normal to characters in TV shows such as Sex and the City probably wouldn’t fly today.

Lora: While I was reporting my article on dating apps, a researcher suggested to me that even if all of the apps were to go bankrupt overnight, something similar would pop up in their place, because people have come to really value having this type of dedicated way to meet. What do you make of this?

Faith: People will keep finding a way to meet romantic interests, and companies will try to innovate. Our society has become more structured and less spontaneous in many areas, including dating. Even though many people are getting frustrated with dating apps, they do like having a structured way to meet people who are eligible and looking to date. You can see that with speed dating and the resurgence of matchmakers.

Lora: A lot of the main dating apps are trying to get users to pay for extra features and subscriptions. But even the most expensive dating-app algorithm or service cannot guarantee that you will meet someone you like. Is the root of the problem just that people are people, and it’s hard to pair individuals who will actually like each other?

Faith: It’s hard to predict whether two people will be compatible, partly because that sort of connection comes about as two people interact. How two people feel about each other can unfold from what they happen to talk about in a conversation, whether they hit on something that they have in common or both find funny. We keep trying to find a way to figure love out, but the truth is that it’s difficult, and it takes luck.

Lora: The mysteries of the human heart are great.

Faith: Yes, and that’s true both on and offline. Honestly, apps are a way to meet people, not a way to date people. Once you have met, your relationship becomes its own thing—and it’s not so different from if you had met in a bar.

The enigma of other people isn’t a bad thing, though. People don’t really want love to be a totally solvable science. Meet-cute nostalgia speaks to that. On the one hand, we like the idea of an algorithm that’ll give us someone who is great for us, but on the other hand, we still have this hunger for love being weird and complicated and hard to pin down.

• America is sick of swiping.
• “Nostalgia for a dating experience they’ve never had”

Today’s News

• Israel launched a strike that hit a major air base near nuclear sites in central Iran. The International Atomic Energy Agency said that Iran’s nuclear sites were not damaged.
• The House voted to advance a foreign-aid package that would send aid to Ukraine, Israel, and U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific, and includes legislation that could lead to a nationwide ban of TikTok.
• A man set himself on fire near the New York City courthouse in which Donald Trump is on trial for criminal charges.
• The Books Briefing : Cookbooks are full of hidden wisdom —and some of them are worth reading cover to cover, Emma Sarappo writes.
• Atlantic Intelligence : The generative-AI boom will look very different for non-English speakers , Matteo Wong recently wrote.

Explore all of our newsletters here.

Evening Read

The Problem With Counterfeit People

By Daniel C. Dennett

The philosopher Daniel C. Dennett, known for his musings on free will, religion, and evolution, died earlier today. We’re revisiting his 2023 essay on the “immoral act of vandalism” committed by companies that use AI to create fake people.

Money has existed for several thousand years, and from the outset counterfeiting was recognized to be a very serious crime, one that in many cases calls for capital punishment because it undermines the trust on which society depends. Today, for the first time in history, thanks to artificial intelligence, it is possible for anybody to make counterfeit people who can pass for real in many of the new digital environments we have created. These counterfeit people are the most dangerous artifacts in human history, capable of destroying not just economies but human freedom itself. Before it’s too late (it may well be too late already) we must outlaw both the creation of counterfeit people and the “passing along” of counterfeit people. The penalties for either offense should be extremely severe, given that civilization itself is at risk.

Read the full article.

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Stephanie Bai contributed to this newsletter.

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Key findings about online dating in the U.S.

Online dating in the United States has evolved over the past several decades into a booming industry , transforming the way some people meet matches . A new report from Pew Research Center explores the upsides and downsides of online dating by highlighting Americans’ experiences and views about it. Here are 12 key takeaways.

Pew Research Center conducted this study to understand Americans’ experiences with dating sites and apps and their views of online dating generally. This analysis is based on a survey conducted among 6,034 U.S. adults from July 5-17, 2022. This included 4,996 respondents from the Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This way nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. It also included an oversample of 1,038 respondents from Ipsos’ KnowledgePanel who indicated that they are lesbian, gay or bisexual (LGB), with oversampled groups weighted back to reflect proportions in the population. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. Read more about the ATP’s methodology .

Here are the questions used for this analysis, along with responses, and its methodology .

Terminology

• Online dating users refers to the 30% of Americans who answered yes to the following question: “Have you ever used an online dating site or dating app?”
• Current or recent online dating users refers to the 9% of adults who had used a dating site or app in the past year as of the July survey.
• Partnered refers to the 69% of U.S. adults who describe themselves as married, living with a partner, or in a committed romantic relationship.
• LGB refers to those who are lesbian, gay or bisexual. These groups are combined because of small sample sizes. Additionally, since this research is focused on sexual orientation, not gender identity, and due to the fact that the transgender population in the U.S. is very small, transgender respondents are not identified separately. Read the report for more details.

A note about the Asian adult sample

This survey includes a total sample size of 234 Asian adults. The sample primarily includes English-speaking Asian adults and therefore may not be representative of the overall Asian adult population. Despite this limitation, it is important to report the views of Asian adults on the topics in this study. As always, Asian adults’ responses are incorporated into the general population figures throughout this report. Asian adults are shown as a separate group when the question was asked of the full sample. Because of the relatively small sample size and a reduction in precision due to weighting, results are not shown separately for Asian adults for questions that were only asked of online dating users or other filtered questions. We are also not able to analyze Asian adults by demographic categories, such as gender, age or education.

Three-in-ten U.S. adults say they have ever used a dating site or app, identical to the share who said this in 2019 . That includes 9% who report doing so in the past year, according to the Center’s survey of 6,034 adults conducted July 5-17, 2022.

Online dating is more common among younger adults than among older people. About half of those under 30 (53%) report having ever used a dating site or app, compared with 37% of those ages 30 to 49, 20% of those 50 to 64 and 13% of those 65 and older.

When looking at sexual orientation, lesbian, gay or bisexual (LGB) adults are more likely than their straight counterparts to say they have ever used a dating site or app (51% vs. 28%).

Men are somewhat more likely than women to have tried online dating (34% vs. 27%), as are those with at least some college education when compared with those with a high school education or less.

Adults who have never been married are much more likely than married adults to report having used online dating sites or apps (52% vs. 16%). Adults who are currently living with a partner (46%) or who are divorced, separated or widowed (36%) are also more likely to have tried online dating than married adults.

There are no statistically significant differences in the shares of adults who report ever using an online dating platform by race or ethnicity: Similar shares of White, Black, Hispanic and Asian adults report ever having done so.

Tinder tops the list of dating sites or apps the survey studied and is particularly popular among adults under 30. Some 46% of online dating users say they have ever used Tinder, followed by about three-in-ten who have used Match (31%) or Bumble (28%). OkCupid, eharmony and Hinge are each used by about a fifth of online dating users. Grindr and HER are used by very few online dating users overall (6% and 3%, respectively) but are more widely used by LGB adults than straight adults. Additionally, 31% of online dating users mention having tried some other online dating platform not asked about directly in this survey. (Read the topline  for a list of the most common other dating sites and apps users mentioned.)

Tinder use is far more common among younger adults than among older Americans: 79% of online dating users under 30 say they have used the platform, compared with 44% of users ages 30 to 49, 17% of users 50 to 64 and just 1% of those 65 and older. Tinder is the top online dating platform among users under 50. By contrast, users 50 and older are about five times more likely to use Match than Tinder (50% vs. 11%).

One-in-ten partnered adults – meaning those who are married, living with a partner or in a committed romantic relationship – met their current significant other through a dating site or app. Partnered adults who are under 30 or who are LGB stand out from other groups when looking at this measure of online dating “success”: One-in-five partnered adults under 30 say they met their current spouse or partner on a dating site or app, as do about a quarter of partnered LGB adults (24%).

Online dating users are somewhat divided over whether their experiences on these platforms have been positive or negative. Among those who have ever used a dating site or app, slightly more say their personal experiences have been very or somewhat positive than say they have been very or somewhat negative (53% vs. 46%).

Some demographic groups are more likely to report positive experiences. For example, 57% of men who have dated online say their experiences have been positive, while women users are roughly split down the middle (48% positive, 51% negative). In addition, LGB users of these platforms are more likely than straight users to report positive experiences (61% vs. 53%).

Roughly a third of online dating users (35%) say they have ever paid to use one of these platforms – including for extra features – but this varies by income, age and gender. Some 45% of online dating users with upper incomes report having paid to use a dating site or app, compared with 36% of users with middle incomes and 28% of those with lower incomes. Similarly, 41% of users 30 and older say they have paid to use these platforms, compared with 22% of those under 30. Men who have dated online are more likely than women to report having paid for these sites and apps (41% vs. 29%).

Those who have ever paid to use dating sites or apps report more positive experiences than those who have never paid. Around six-in-ten paid users (58%) say their personal experiences with dating sites or apps have been positive; half of users who have never paid say this.

Women who have used online dating platforms in the past year are more likely to feel overwhelmed by the number of messages they get, while men are more likely to feel insecure about a lack of messages. Among current or recent online dating users, 54% of women say they have felt overwhelmed by the number of messages they received on dating sites or apps in the past year, while just a quarter of men say the same. By contrast, 64% of men say they have felt insecure because of the lack of messages they received, while four-in-ten women say the same.

Overall, 55% of adults who have used a dating app or site in the past year say they often or sometimes felt insecure about the number of messages they received, while 36% say they often or sometimes felt overwhelmed.

Among recent online daters, large majorities of men and women say they have often or sometimes felt excited by the people they have seen while using these platforms, though large majorities also say they have often or sometimes felt disappointed.

When asked why they’ve turned to dating sites or apps in the past year, 44% of users say a major reason was to meet a long-term partner and 40% say a major reason was to date casually. Smaller shares say a major reason was to have casual sex (24%) or make new friends (22%).

Men who have used a dating platform in the past year are much more likely than women to say casual sex was a major reason (31% vs. 13%). There are no statistically significant gender differences on the other three reasons asked about in the survey.

About four-in-ten U.S. adults overall (42%) say online dating has made the search for a long-term partner easier. Far fewer (22%) say it has made the search for a long-term partner or spouse harder. About a third (32%) say it has made no difference.

Adults under 30 are less convinced than their older counterparts that online dating has made the search for a partner easier. These younger adults are about evenly divided in their views, with 35% of those ages 18 to 29 saying it has made the search easier and 33% saying it has made the search harder.

When it comes to the choices people have on dating sites and apps, 43% of adults overall say people have the right amount of options for dating on these platforms, while 37% think choices are too plentiful. Fewer (13%) say there are not enough options.

Most U.S. adults are skeptical or unsure that dating algorithms can predict love. About one-in-five adults (21%) think that the types of computer programs that dating sites and apps use could determine whether two people will eventually fall in love. But greater shares of Americans either say these programs could not do this (35%) or are unsure (43%).

Americans are split on whether online dating is a safe way to meet people, and a majority support requiring background checks before someone can create a profile. The share of U.S. adults who say online dating is generally a very or somewhat safe way to meet people has dipped slightly since 2019, from 53% to 48%. Women are more likely than men to say online dating is not too or not at all safe.

There are also differences by age: 62% of Americans ages 65 and older say online dating is not safe, compared with 53% of those 50 to 64 and 42% of adults younger than 50. Those who have never used a dating site or app are particularly likely to think it is unsafe: 57% say this, compared with 32% of those who have used an online dating site or app.

At the same time, six-in-ten Americans say companies should require background checks before someone creates a dating profile, while 15% say they should not and 24% are not sure. Women are more likely than men to say these checks should be required, as are adults 50 and older compared with younger adults.

These checks do not have majority support among online dating users themselves, however: 47% of users say companies should require background checks, versus 65% of those who have never used a dating site or app.

Younger women who have used dating sites or apps stand out for experiencing unwanted behaviors on these platforms. A majority of women under 50 who have used dating sites or apps (56%) say they have been sent a sexually explicit message or image they didn’t ask for, and about four-in-ten have had someone continue to contact them after they said they were not interested (43%) or have been called an offensive name (37%). Roughly one-in-ten of this group (11%) have received threats of physical harm. Each of these experiences is less common among women online dating users ages 50 and older, as well as among men of any age.

Among all online dating users, 38% have ever received unsolicited sexually explicit messages or images while using a dating site or app; 30% have experienced continued unwanted contact; 24% have been called an offensive name; and 6% have been threatened with physical harm.

About half of those who have used dating sites and apps (52%) say they have come across someone they think was trying to scam them. Men under 50 are particularly likely to say they have had this experience: 63% of men in this age group who have used dating sites or apps think they have encountered a scammer on them. Smaller shares of men ages 50 and older (47%) and women of any age (44%) say the same.

Note: Here are the questions used for this analysis, along with responses, and its methodology .

• Online Dating
• Romance & Dating

Emily A. Vogels is a former research associate focusing on internet and technology at Pew Research Center

Colleen McClain is a research associate focusing on internet and technology research at Pew Research Center

For Valentine’s Day, facts about marriage and dating in the U.S.

Dating at 50 and up: older americans’ experiences with online dating, about half of lesbian, gay and bisexual adults have used online dating, about half of never-married americans have used an online dating site or app, from looking for love to swiping the field: online dating in the u.s., most popular.

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