Gaby
A team at Arizona State University recently studied marital satisfaction. They compared couples who met through dating apps with couples who met in person.
About one-third of marriages now begin on dating apps, which is why the researchers looked into the topic. But the study’s results didn’t cast online dating in a flattering light, the Daily Mail reported.
What the Researchers Discovered
The researchers set out to see how meeting online versus in person affects later marital satisfaction. They surveyed 923 married people about how satisfied they were with their marriage and how stable they felt it was.
About half (49.3%) of the participants met their partners through apps like Grindr, Tinder, or Bumble, while 50.7% met offline — at work, college, bars, or clubs.
Participants answered a series of questions about their marriage. Key questions included: How well does your partner meet your needs? How satisfied are you with your marriage overall? Have you or your partner ever considered divorce?
The team found that couples who met online were generally younger, had more previous dating experience, and were more likely to be in same-sex or interracial marriages. People in this group reported lower marital satisfaction and lower perceived stability.
The reason for those results remains unclear, says Lizelle Sharabi, the study’s lead author. One possibility is stigma: people who meet on apps can face judgment for having met online and for being in interracial or same-sex relationships, which may lead to higher levels of social marginalization and stress, Sharabi explained.
Sharabi says awareness of these societal barriers can help couples steer toward a more stable, long-lasting relationship.
