Love at first byte: A mixed-method study about online dating in India

Abstract

The advancement in social media has influenced how we communicate in daily lives, especially towards our partners and romantic relationships. It is important to understand how people present themselves and perceives others, how we relate to each other during the process of online dating. The aim of the study was to explore the attitude of Indians towards online dating and to explore the qualities of a potential partner and self-concept of the respondents. An online cross-sectional survey was done using a selfreport questionnaire. The study was conducted by Whatsaap and Gmail and included only volunteers. The study found that the majority of people (90%) would come for chatting with other people and the most common traits among the desirability of the people to be loyalty and honesty followed by understanding and sense of humor. It also found that the majority of the people were looking for a long term, stable relationship. As online dating and matchmaking have become rampant, people should try to keep themselves informed and proceed to the world of online dating with a little caution.