The Pros And Cons of Dating Apps
The possibility of finding your soulmate online has never been more explored than through dating apps. These apps promote digital communication that leads to real-life interaction, making for some unique user experiences that vary from user to user. But, unfortunately, while dating apps have a clear goal to connect with like-minded people, the reasons people use these apps don’t always correlate to the intended purpose. Understandably, this has resulted in thousands of awkward conversations that have fizzled out or ended severely, teeth bared.
In an attempt to further understand these culturally prevalent apps, we will take a holistic look at their key features, identifying both their strengths and weaknesses. Here comes the news.
POSITIVE: Efficient Design
Dating apps simplify the complexities of finding a date like never before. Instead of, say, asking a potential partner if you can buy them a drink, a user need only swipe left or right to signify their level of interest in someone else. This is a fantastic design choice that eliminates feelings of awkwardness or nervousness that might prevent someone from making a move. If they like you back, great! If they don’t, a user can quickly move on, no harm done.
NEGATIVE: Efficient Design
Because the intended user experience is so efficient, a user will likely make multiple connections at rapid speed. Suddenly, your choices become overwhelming and saturated. There’s a full inbox of people to talk to, and now, you have to work through them all like a checklist. We’d argue that picking one option and spending valuable time with them is far more effective than spreading your time across multiple people. Don’t get me wrong. It’s incredible that dating apps can connect you with so many interested people so quickly, but it’s also a curse. The significance of finding a connection has been dulled due to an increased amount of options.
POSITIVE: Relationships become simplified
I like to think of finding a love interest in real life to be like a game of tug of war. Both people constantly push and pull away, attempting to be attractive to the other without
coming on too strong. It’s a game of uncertainty. Do they like me back? Do I actually even like them? These are the questions that usually dominate our headspace during these early conversations. It’s like both parties are dipping their toes into the water to see if it’s worth jumping in headfirst.
However, with dating apps, all this confusion and uncertainty is removed and becomes as simple as learning how to tie a tie. The person has either swiped right on you, or they haven’t. If there’s been a match, you can approach the conversation confidently without constantly having to reevaluate the other person’s level of engagement.
NEGATIVE: Relationships become simplified
This simplification is a double-edged sword, though. The truth is, getting to know a love interest in real life is full of uncertainty, but it’s also way more exciting. Dating apps eliminate the ambiguity, yes, but at a cost. Excitement and motivation. If you know the other person is already attracted to you, why bother even trying to pique their interest? This is a key reason why so many conversations on dating apps barely even get off the ground.
POSITIVE: User freedom
Giving the user freedom and customizability has always been a golden rule of design. Fortunately, dating apps facilitate choices for their users fantastically. A user can select their desired sexual preference, age-bracket and get right to it. It’s like you’re in a bar, scanning to talk to someone, and everyone you don’t want to talk to has just exited. Every time you use a dating app, you will only be shown people that already match your requirements, and that’s pretty amazing.
NEGATIVE: User freedom
This user freedom is commendable; however, it doesn’t explain why people use these dating apps. Sure, the intended user journey is to find love, but many ‘dating’ apps are used for one-night stands or to kill boredom. Tragically, some people use dating apps as more or less an alternative to hentai. This obviously creates miscommunication between some users. For example, a pair matches and begins talking. Unfortunately, one is only interested in a hookup, while the other is looking for a serious relationship. The result means both users end up wasting their time.