There are now more young adults who date online than ever before because of smartphone applications.
According to the results of a recent study, there has been an increase greater than 15 percent in the number of people using mobile apps for dating, within the young adult age group between 18 and 24 years old.
The study was conducted by Pew Research Center researchers, who were investigating online dating trends.
The researchers were seeking to better understand the trends in the usage of online dating. What they concluded was that the increase in the dependency people have on mobile devices – and the rapidly growing number of mobile apps meant for dating – could potentially be the reason for this rise in usage. According to the author of the study, Aaron Smith, the associate director for internet research at Pew, the simple nature of these applications and the “light, game-ified way of engaging with other people” explains their massive popularity.
That said, the researchers also looked into a number of other reasons mobile apps for dating have become popular.
For instance, Smith pointed out that these dating apps could easily appeal to young adults who have recently graduated from college and “may not have very deep social networks in the city they live in. Or maybe they work long hours and don’t have a lot of time to go out and meet people in the bar or in various places after work.”
Throughout history, the 18 to 24 year old age group hasn’t typically needed the assistance of online dating as they have traditionally spent a good deal of their time around other similarly aged singles at their high schools, colleges or workplaces.
Regardless of the actual reason behind it – entertainment value or actually meeting someone – the research indicates that 34 percent of people within that age group know someone who has used online dating over mobile apps in order to find their way into a long-term relationship. This indicates that this tool is not only easy and enjoyable for people to use, but they are actually finding some level of success in actually meeting someone with whom they want to spend their time over the longer term.
