Posted October 18, Reviewed by Devon Frye. Dating apps are now a firmly established part of the dating scene. These include Tinder, Bumble, Hinge and a range of others suited to different tastes.
The basis of these apps is simple. Users can create a profile by uploading several photos, along with a short text description. This becomes visible to other users who can then "like" or "dislike" the profile.
When two users like each other, they can start text messaging on the app. Popular dating apps such as Tinder now have over 50 million active users, with some reports noting that the average user spends a whopping 90 minutes per day on the app. These dating apps represent a significant new social phenomenon; a far cry from the singles bars and social mixers of times past.
Interestingly, the impact of dating apps on mental health has been under-researched, but some preliminary evidence suggests they may cause issues. Some research indicates that dating apps expose users to considerable rejection. One study found a low rate of matching, particularly for men. This study also found that around 50 percent of matches do not message back. Hence, dating app users are constantly being "disliked" and ignored.
Worse still, many users report that first dates are often awkward, crude, and unrewarding. In my own research , people report many demoralizing experiences in this new dating world, noting that in-person realities can be wildly different from online personas.
