A: Before the pandemic, online dating was still largely centered around text-based messaging
Then when COVID-19 hit, many platforms started rolling out video dating features, which were an improvement but still not the same as interacting with someone face-to-face. I see a lot of potential in using VR for online dating because it lets you experience what it’s like to be with someone without having to actually be there in person. On a VR date, people can do things with each other instead of just asking questions back and forth as if they’re in an interview. I’ve also been collaborating with (VR company) Foretell Reality and (date coaching company) A Good First Date to study how VR can be used to teach people interpersonal skills that they can use to form relationships in the real world. As you can see, there are lots of exciting ways VR can be used to enhance interpersonal connections.
A: These days, it really is everyone. Online dating is the most common way to meet a romantic partner in the U.S., more common even than meeting people at bars or through friends. However, online dating is especially popular among people under 30.
Q: How does online communication influence first date success, and what does the track record look like for the translation of online communication to long-term relationship success?
Q: What are online daters looking for in a mate? What do they find attractive in their communication with other dating users?
A: People often judge others based on what researcher Jenna Frost and others Citation: Frost, J. H., Chance, Z., Norton, M. I., & Ariely, D. (2008). “People are experience goods: Improving online dating with virtual dates.” Journal of Interactive Marketing, 22, 51-61. (more…)