INDIAN JOURNAL OF HEALTH STUDIES - Volume 5 Issue 2, July 23

Pages: 46-72
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Online Dating, Deception, and Associated Risks: A Pilot Investigation

Author: Yamini Baba & Monika Misra

Category: Health Studies

Abstract:

Online dating has become quite common among youngsters in the past decade, as it is fast-paced and opens up online conversations. Individuals preferring virtual platforms for dating are motivated to gratify and fulfill their specific needs and desires, as evident in the theory of gratification. Hence, to explore and understand the experience of online dating, deception, and associated mental health risks, a pilot investigation was conducted on adults. An exploratory survey design was used to answer the research questions; the survey tool was developed using open-ended questions based on the gratification theory. The data were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach (Braun and Clarke); primarily, the open-ended responses were categorized and coded, and later, common trends and patterns were found to conclude the themes within the data. The five major domains emerged, under which multiple themes were generated, and the results indicate that online dating serves as a convenient leisure space for meeting people with ease. Also, creating a social circle can be challenging due to mental health risks and being deceived. The motives for dating online depend on personal intentions and purposes, like colloquial exchanges. The limitations and future directions are discussed to direct the research further.

Keywords: Online dating, deception, virtual world, interpersonal relationship, thematic analysis