The Impact of Internet Technologies on the Formation of Romantic Relationships

Data, Methods, and Ethics

My research was conducted between February 3rd, 2010 through February 28th, 2010 from Santa Clara, California. In order to obtain my research, I created my own user account on two dating sites, Lavalife.com and EHarmony.com, and conducted interviews asynchronously online via an emailed qualitative questionnaire. The research included a questionnaire comprised of ten items that was administered to a sample group, which consisted of six females and four males who were registered, active users of at least one or more online dating site. The sample included users ranging from age 25 to 48 from various parts of the Southern California. The majority of the participants identified themselves as heterosexual with one person identifying as bisexual. Questions sought to identify user’s attitudes towards relationships initiated online and their own personal experiences with online dating. Participants also answered questions regarding age, gender, race, and relationship status which was determined by a single question asking participants whether they were single and not dating anyone, single but casually dating; engaged; or married. I was also interested in the motivations for online dating and the ways in which respondents represented themselves online. Data from the questionnaire were analyzed thematically to identify the most dominant interpretations of the online dating experience among my participants. While the data collection method and sample size does not allow me to claim that my research findings are representative of all American online dating users’ experiences, the amount of qualitative information obtained provides important insights into the ways my respondents construct the meaning and purpose of online dating from their own perspectives.

My Questionnaire

1). Have you ever used a dating site? If so what motivated you? If not, please explain?

2). Are you registered on more than one dating site? If so which other sites do you use? Do they require a subscription fee?

3). What are you looking for in a relationship online? Do you have any rules or requirements that the other person must fulfill?

4). What are the benefits of dating online in comparison to traditional dating? What are the downsides?

5). Do you feel that you are willing to disclose more information online than in-person?

6). In your opinion, what is the difference between communication online vs. face-to-face? Name some pros and cons.

7). Do you feel that there is a negative stigma attached to online dating? Would you be judged by others (friends, family members, etc) for using this unconventional method of dating, if so why?

8). Do you worry about sexual predators, cyber-stalking or identity theft when you engage in the use of certain online dating sites? Why or why not?

9). Are there any rules of etiquette that you have noticed so far? If so, can you describe them and give your own interpretation of why they are in place?

10). Overall, do you prefer traditional dating in the real world or would you rather connect with romantic partners online?

Ethics:

All names and identifiers have been removed to protect anonymity. Informed consent was obtained from all questionnaire respondents.