Social Media & Dating

Presented By:Shanika Robinson

Class:HBD 4725/5725Human Behavior & DevelopmentPsychology of Adjustment

Defining Social Media, Dating, Social Networking, and Online Dating

• There are no “Set-In-Stone” definitions

• Although these terms have become a “norm in society”, research is new and ongoing

• The realm of social media rapidly changes

• Definitions vary depending on the application, field of study, media outlet, professional/career path, and context where they will be utilized

General Definitions

Social Media is defined as:

“electronic communication (as Websites for social networking and micro blogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content (as videos, etc.)”

www.merriam-webster.com

General Definitions

In order for social media to become an interpersonal communication venue it should have the elements of a:

1. Social Network 2. Micro Blogging

General Definitions

• A Social Network is “an online community of people with a common interest who use a Website or other technologies (email, blogs, vlogs, etc.) to communicate with each other and share information, resources, etc.”

• Micro Blogging is “to post very short entries, as a brief update or a photo, on a blog or social-networking website”

www.dictionary.com

General Definitions

Date/Dating :1. a social communication between two persons that often has a romantic character 2. a social appointment, engagement occasion arranged beforehand with another person

Relationship(s) :3. connection, association, or involvement4. emotional or other connection between people5. a romantic or passionate attachment

www.dictionary.com and www.merriam-webster.com

General Definitions

Combine Them All:

Social Media and Dating can be defined as:

Electronic communication (such as websites for social networking and micro blogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content in the hopes of meeting another person and forming a potential casual or romantic interaction or relationship

TYPES OF ONLINE DATING AND

SOCIAL MEDIA DATING SERVICES

5 TYPES OF SERVICES1. General Online Dating Service

Provide full internet access to member databases. Sign up and instantly browse user profiles Some sites offer quizzes to help you find you Require subscription fees to email a match

ex. Match.com, plentyoffish.com, zoosk, lavalife2. Relationship Services

Target marriage-minded people seeking a serious relationship

Required to fill out an in-depth personality profile so you are paired with your best matches

Unlike general dating sites, you only have access to your matches

Subscription feesex. eharmony.com, Chemistry.com (owned by Match.com)

5 TYPES OF SERVICES3. Social Networking Sites

Provide outlet for people to connect with old friends, while making new friends

Becoming increasingly popular sites for people to date Majority of sites are free to the public, no fees to view

profiles or emailex. Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Google+, Linkedin, Photobucket, Skype (video chat ), OoVoo(video chat )

4. Niche Online Dating Services look for one common denominator people must

share in order to be a part of their service Subscription fees apply

ex. catholicmatch.com, christianmingle.com, muslima.com, sugardaddie.com, millionairedates.com

5 TYPES OF SERVICES5. Merging Online Dating Services

Bring the offline and online world together Put a profile on the website, then print business cards of

your screen name, internet address, and website When you meet someone you are interested in dating, you

give them the business card so they can view your profile and contact you through the service

Some merge dating sites have a dating coach/concierge who looks at profiles on the database that meet your preferences, emails the matches to you for review, and arrange a face to face date with your interests

There are fees for this serviceex. Itsjustlunch.com (designed for busy professionals)

TOP 5 FEE- BASED DATING SERVICES

1. Match.com Launched in April 1995. Pioneers of online dating.

Headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Services are found in 24 countries

2. eharmony.com3. Zoosk4. Chemistry.com5. Seniorpeoplemeet.comwww.top10bestdatingsites.com

5 MOST POPULAR FREE SOCIAL MEDIA SITES

1. Facebook Launched in 2004 800 million active users More than 500 million access the mobile app to view profiles Worldwide offices (New York, California, Washington D.C,

Detroit, Dallas, London, Paris, Tokyo, etc..) If Facebook were a physical country it would be the 3rd largest

behind China (#1) and India (#2)

2. Twitter3. Linkedin4. Myspace 5. Photobucket

http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/social/ (Marketing/ Media Research firm)

INTERESTING FACTS OF FREE SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES FOR DATING

• More Social Media Dating Networkers are using sites such as Facebook either equally or more than fee-based dating networks

• Sites are more transparent than fee based sites. Users can see layers of a person's profiles (favorite movies, religion, education, interactions with others, etc) of their interest without paying a subscription fee

• People trust free social media sites for dating because of the great deal of overlap between an interest’s online friends who also may be their offline friends. The “actual self” of a person may reveal itself more than the “ideal” self due to this interaction

http://www.statesman.com/life/when-online-dating-and-social-media-collide1748205.html

INTERESTING FACTS OF FREE SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES FOR DATING

• There is a lot of overlap between the social networking sites. You can simultaneously network with multiple sites at once to find potential dates with the touch of a mobile app

Ex. Tweetdeck (Facebook / Twitter multitasking app)

• Social Media is not just limited to your computer. Mobile apps, smart phones, Android tablets, iPads provide instant access to Social Networks and Online Dating Sites

• 97% of Social Media Sites are accessed by computer• 37% of Social Media Sites are accessed by Mobile App• Others include gaming consoles (Playstation, Nintendo

Wii, Xbox), internet enabled TV, e-book reader (Nook, Kindle), and internet enabled music players (iPod touch)

http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/social/

POPULARITY OF SOCIAL MEDIAAND

ONLINE DATING

SOCIAL MEDIA AND ONLINE DATING POPULARITY

Marketing and Media Research Firm Arbitron Reports:

• 48% of Americans have used a Social Media site for connecting with family, friendship, and dating purposes

•Demographic Profile of Social Media Networkers78% - Teens under 1877% - ages 18 to 2465% - ages 25 to 3451% - ages 35 to 54 Less than 51% - ages 55+

http://arbitron.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=682

SOCIAL MEDIA AND ONLINE DATING POPULARITY

In a Joint Study by Arbitron and Edison Media Research:

•More Women use Social Networks than Men- 57% vs. 43%

http://socialmediatoday.com/webmetricsguru/145143/social-habits-frequent-social-networkers-%E2%80%93-edisonarbitron-study

According to the Nielson Social Media Report:

•4 in 5 active users visit social networks and blogs regularly•Social Media apps are the 3rd most used Smartphone apps•Most social networkers have a college degree

http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/social/

SOCIAL MEDIA & RELATIONSHIPS

• 96%- Keep in touch with old friends• 91%- Keep in touch with current friends• 56%- To Make New Friends• 8%- For Dating Purposes

Dating- Related Activity• 40%- Flirting• 37%- Go to an online dating website• 28%- Ask someone out on a date• 27%- To find a face to face singles event• 21%- Been introduced to someone online by a friend• 18%- Search for an old flame or maintain a relationship• 17%- Search for information on a current date• 9%- To end a relationship

SOCIAL MEDIA & RELATIONSHIPS

Dating- Related Activity cont.

• 31% - Social Networkers said they knew someone who used online dating site

• 52% - Reported positive experiences in online dating• 29%- Reported negative experiences in online dating • 22%- Said they were either living with, engaged, or

married to someone they met online

Dunn, D., Hammer, E., & Weiten, W. (2012). Psychology Applied to Modern Life (10th ed.).Belmont, Ca: Wadsworth Cengage Learning (p 293-295).

ONLINE DATING VS. TRADITIONAL DATING

IS ONLINE DATING LESS ENGAGING THAN TRADITIONAL DATING ?

Surprisingly No:

• Virtual Relationships are just as intimate as face-to face and sometimes even closer

• Many virtual relationships migrate to face to face relationships usually after telephone contact

• Romantic Relationships that begin online are just as stable over two years as traditional relationships

• Internet plays an important part in maintaining established relationships, particularly long distance relationships

IS ONLINE DATING LESS ENGAGING THAN TRADITIONAL DATING ?

Drawbacks:

• Internet users are able to create anonymity so self-disclosure becomes riskier than traditional dating

• People may tell too much information about themselves to their virtual partners before the relationship establishes

• Thee can be a high concern for people being honest. You can become anyone in virtual reality

• Online representation of oneself may not be very accurate. Social networkers may exaggerate their profiles to create a great first impression

Dunn, D., Hammer, E., & Weiten, W. (2012). Psychology Applied to Modern Life (10th ed.).Belmont, Ca: Wadsworth Cengage Learning (p 293-295).

CHOOSING TO TRY SOCIAL MEDIA AND ONLINE DATING

Be Smart and Safe:

• Profile Pictures may not be accurate. Remember that the person of interest could be very different from what you imagined

• When you give someone access to your profile, remember you are giving that person access to a lot of personal and private information. Be aware of your profile privacy settings and don’t share what you don’t want shared

• Be aware that scammers and sexual predators also use social media sites dating sites. Research the person. Follow your instincts

CHOOSING TO TRY SOCIAL MEDIA AND ONLINE DATING

Be Smart and Safe cont… :• Always meet your online interest in public places until you feel

comfortable for more intimate settings

• Keep “naughty notes and talk” to your direct message inbox. What you post on your profile can travel in a matter of seconds

• Beware of “married” people on online dating sites that are designed for singles only. They also post as if they are single and interested in a relationship.

• Don’t put your home telephone, home address, or any information leading to your physical location. Identity theft is possible and you may receive “unexpected company”

http://www.onlinedatingmagazine.com/features/onlinedatingsafetytips.htmlhttp://laurenhuston.com/dating-via-social-media/http://www.brightlightsmycity.com/2011/01/dos-and-donts-of-social-media-dating.html

Social Media & Online Dating References

Dunn, D., Hammer, E., & Weiten, W. (2012). Psychology Applied to Modern Life (10th ed.) Belmont, Ca: Wadsworth Cengage Learning

http://www.arbitron.com/home/content.stm

http://arbitron.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=682

http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/social/

http://www.brightlightsmycity.com/2011/01/dos-and-donts-of-social-media- dating.html

http://www.dictionary.com

http://www.edisonresearch.com/

http://laurenhuston.com/dating-via-social-media/

http://www.merriam-websters.com

http://www.onlinedatingmagazine.com/features/onlinedatingsafetytips.html

http://www.searchenginejournal.com/the-growth-of-social-media-an-infographic/32788/

http://socialmediatoday.com/don-bulmer/228567/if-facebook-were-country

http://www.statesman.com/life/when-online-dating-and-social-media-collide-1748205.html

http://www.top10bestdatingsites.com

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2036683_2037183_2037185,00.html

Social Media & Online Dating References