The Effect of Intensity of Using Online Dating Platforms on Loneliness and Social Connectedness Among High-Intensity Users, Low-Intensity Users and Non-Users

Abstract

Online dating platforms have taken over as most of the young adult’s main source of dating and relationships but it’s effect on emotional well-being and intensity of usage of dating apps the psychological impact they have on them is still unclear. This study looks at how the intensity of using online dating platforms influence the loneliness and social connectedness among individuals. An Ex-Post Facto study design was used with 200 participants which were divided into three groups: high intensity users (67), low intensity users (66) and non-users who had previously used dating apps (67) which comprised of standardized self-report measures, such as The UCLA Loneliness Scale, The Social Connectedness Scale and The Online Dating Intensity Scale (ODI) to gather data. For the data analysis, descriptive statistics and one-way ANOVA was used in Excel. And the findings showed that there were not statistically significant differences in loneliness and social connectedness across the three groups, suggesting that the intensity of using online dating platforms have no significant impact on these variables. However high intensity users of online dating platforms have shown slightly higher levels of loneliness and lower levels of social connectedness, despite there not being any statistically significant difference between the groups. The findings give useful information for future research into the psychological and social effects of online dating platforms and highlights the complexities of the relationship between online dating platforms and psychological factors like loneliness and social connectedness.