The Impact of Internet Technologies on the Formation of Romantic Relationships

Conclusion

Recent statistics revealing the number of new subscribers to dating websites seem to indicate that people may be starting to rely more on online methods of mate selection and courtship than on conventional methods such as bars, clubs, or family friends. “On average, the majority of the people who met their partners online have reported being engaged or married within one year” (Toohey, 14). The rapid proliferation of new media into realms of personal communication and the increased usage of the Internet have given rise to new and less conventional ways of meeting people and developing personal relationships. Nowadays, more and more people are meeting others online and building meaningful close relationships in cyberspace. The internet seems to open a new social space for communication and my results suggest that relationships developed online are healthy and a complement to face-to-face relationships. Not only do online technologies facilitate the formation of intimate connections but they also serve to advance the understanding of the nature of intimacy which has undergone many changes since the days of our parents and grandparents.