Table of Contents
The traditional methods of dating are becoming a thing of the past. Outdated face-to-face courtships are quickly being replaced by online dating websites and applications. Technology has established multiple channels for daters to gain access to millions of profiles regardless of geographical location, race, income, education, religious values, and/or political beliefs. Matchmaking is literally at their fingertips, and they are in control.
Functionalist
The functionalist theory focuses on the idea that society consists of social institutions which meet the needs of society as a whole. These institutions include but are not limited to government, education, family, religion, and law enforcement. Manifest functions are the obvious and intended functions. Every person that registers for a dating website and/or downloads an app, does so purposely, whether it be seeking a serious relationship, friendship, or even hook up. The main purpose of online dating is to find a mate, whom you can eventually marry and create a family with and continue to live a long and happy life.
On the other hand, the less obvious functions are known as latent functions. An unintended function may be the result of an online dating relationship that didn’t work out but ended in friendship. Although the intended function (dating) failed it, it led to a friendship, which is a positive latent function. Online dating apps, depending on which one you use, allow access to hundreds even thousands of dating profiles. The wide variety of profiles could cause a person to broaden their usual dating preferences and date someone outside their predetermined “type”. They might even discover new interests and activities from other daters.
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There are several risk factors associated with online dating, that can be harmful to these social institutions. Some of the dysfunctions that could arise from utilizing online dating methods are promiscuity and domestic violence. Some of the popular dating apps like Tinder are known to be used mainly for hooking up. People using these tools for frequent casual sexual encounters could led to the spread of sexually transmitted disease and unplanned pregnancies. Domestic violence can become an issue if users are lying, hiding information, trusting too easily, and getting in relationships too quickly before properly getting to know their partner.
Conflict Theory
Conflict theories focus on the social inequalities within the society. According to Karl Marx, society is in everlasting conflict because of competition for limited resources. (book) In the modern world of online dating, one of the main problems is gender majority. For instance, if the ratio of males to females on a particular website is 5:2, the men would find themselves in competition with each other in hopes of gaining a match with the small number of available women. One of the issues with online dating is monetary difficulties.
Several dating websites charge membership fees, and a person with lower income might not be able to afford these costs. Persons with lower income would be limited to only participating in those dating sites that offered free memberships. Gaining access to online dating would require a person to acquire several material items first. First, they would need a means of access by either a computer, laptop, or smart phone. Second, someone would need internet access. Last, in the even that they matched with someone, and set up a face-to-face meeting, they would need money to pay for the food and entertainment. The daters with lower income would be at a socioeconomic disadvantage than those with sufficient income.
Feminist Theory
Feminist theory is the focus on gender inequality. This theory examines the social problems, experiences, discrimination, stereotyping, oppression and objectification of women by men. The Oxford Internet Institute used the popular dating website eHarmony to gather data over a span of ten years. The study showed even when using the revolutionized methods of matchmaking women were still victims of gender stereotyping. “Online dating has not just perpetuated male dominated initiation, but exacerbated, since men are 30 percent more likely to write the first message.” (Byager, 2018). It was showed that the women who messaged first had reduced response rates by at least 15 percent.
Symbolic Interactionism Theory
Symbolic interactionism focuses on the way symbols transfer meaning into human interaction, ultimately examining our interaction and interpretation of these symbols. While the use of dating websites provide us with an opportunity to still form a relationship despite our work schedules, family life, and/or social obligations, it removes the first hand in person contact from the situation. The traditional “small talk” over a cup of coffee with someone a co-worker set you up with is slowly becoming unheard of. Instead the local coffee shop is replaced by the latest version of iPhone, and the conversation takes place via “DMs”, direct messages through an online dating source.
One of the leading types of symbols used within the online dating community are emoticons, which are often referred to as “emojis”. Emoji’s are a visual representation of emotions, feelings, and objects. Since majority of the communication being done is through cell phones via text messages, the understanding of slang, abbreviations, and acronyms is almost a requirement. The outdated AIM phrases such as “a/s/l” (age/sex/location) are being replaced by things “WAA” (will answer all), “NSA” (no strings attached) (Albo, 2020). In order to properly engage in modern dating on the world wide web the ability to understand and decipher the trendy lingo is a must, after all “YOLO” (you only live once).
