In today’s society, people use dating applications such as Tinder, Bumble, Match.com, and others as a way to meet potential romantic partners (Heino, Ellison, & Gibbs, 2010). According to Geiger and Livingston (2018) “The percentage of 18 to 24 year-olds using dating apps increased from 10 percent in 2013 to 27 percent in 2015.” This statistic shows that the number of people joining dating apps is increasing (Geiger & Livingston, 2018).
The Uses and Gratifications Theory gives insight into other reason(s) people might use dating apps, to possibly increase their self-esteem (Bryden, 2017). According to Kernis (2013) “Self-esteem is the value a person attributes to himself or herself” (p. 125). This value is grounded in how well a person measures up to others and how much “outside admiration” a person receives (Kernis, 2013, p. 126). Bryden (2017) studied the affect loneliness has on dating app use and self-esteem. The same study suggested that matching with someone on a dating app increases users self-esteem and alleviates their loneliness (Bryden, 2017). Bryden (2017) concluded that some people joined dating apps because they were lonely and matching with other users gave them feelings of satisfaction.
Using dating apps can also negatively affect users’ self-esteem (Strubel & Petri, 2017). Strubel and Petrie (2017) examined how using Tinder influenced males and females “self-perceptions and self-esteem” (p. 34). Strubel and Petri (2017) found that Tinder users became overly critical and self-conscious of their looks and questioned their “own worth” (p. 37). The researchers concluded that being actively involved on Tinder was associated with lower self-esteem due to comparing one’s physical appearance against others (Strubel & Petrie, 2017).
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Young adults who use dating apps can also be the recipients of inappropriate messages (Whitley, 2017). These inappropriate messages may trigger feelings of insecurity, uncertainty, and anger in the app user (Whitley, 2017). As a result, the app user may begin to manifest unrealistic expectations of what his/ her body should look like (Bonos, 2016; Zytko, Grandhi, & Jones, 2014).
Dating app use can negatively affect individuals’ self-esteem due to the rejections they may receive (Henderson, 2018; Using online dating apps may be harmful for your self-confidence research says, 2018). For example, a study conducted by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences examined the relationship between dating apps, self-esteem, and rejection (Using online dating apps harmful for your self-confidence research says, 2018). The same study suggested that the negative feelings an individual can experience due to other users rejecting them on dating apps can lower that person’s self-esteem (Using online dating apps harmful for your self-confidence research says, 2018). The study concluded that people who used dating apps to boost their self-esteem were prone to manifesting addictive behavior (Using online dating apps harmful for your self-confidence research says, 2018).
Orosz, Benyó, Berkes, Nikoletti, Gál, Tóth-Király, and Bőthe (2018) studied the relationship between self-esteem and users’ motivations for using dating apps. The researchers found that some people use dating apps to increase their self-esteem, feel more desirable, and less self-conscious about their looks (Orosz et al., 2018). Orosz et al. (2018) concluded that individuals used Tinder to feel valued by others and increase their self-esteem. As a result of feeling more desirable, people on dating apps may also feel less self-conscious regarding their outward appearance (Tanner & Huggins, 2018).
Another study by Sumter el al. (2017) had similar results to Orosz et al. (2018). The researchers implied that young adults use dating apps to seek a potential romantic partner, elevate their self-esteem, entertainment, and for excitement (Sumter et al., 2017). Ward (2017) further suggested that people join dating apps to help them get over a breakup and hopefully meet their significant other. Dating apps also significantly increase a user’s choice of selecting a potential companion (Toma, 2014). However, Toma (2014) suggested that due to an expanded assortment of possible partners to choose from, dating app users are not as inclined to feel obligated to stay in a long-term relationship.
Although studies have examined the factors that affect users’ willingness to use dating apps (Bryden, 2017; Strubel & Petrie, 2017; the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2018; Orosz et al., 2018; Sumter et al., 2017; & Ward, 2017), these studies do not address the role resilience plays in users’ continued use of dating apps. It is important to understand the role resilience plays in the continued use of dating apps. Dating app users can manifest negative emotions after contacting a match who does not respond (Marateck, 2018; Zytko et al., 2014). Consequently, these individuals may start to develop feelings of insecurity and begin to question whether or not they are physically attractive (Zytko et al., 2014). These feelings of insecurity manifested through the use of dating apps can also contribute to users having unrealistic expectations of what their body should look like (Bonos, 2016).
Another reason it is important to understand the role resilience plays in dating app usage is because according to Hance, Blackhart, and Dew (2018) individuals who display high levels of “rejection sensitivity” (p. 425) are predisposed to interacting on dating apps because they feel more at ease than they would be communicating face-to-face. Hance et al.’s (2018) findings call into question the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2018) implication that the negative feelings individuals manifest from being rejected on dating apps may lower their self-esteem (Using online dating apps harmful for your self-confidence research says, 2018). Given the lack of research on resilience and dating app use, the present study will examine the role resilience plays in users’ continued use of dating apps.
