This article started out by reading a definition of online dating. Next, we read 4 articles that provided stats and facts about online dating. Following this, we made a discussion board post, explaining two findings that surprised us most, two findings that surprised us least, and explain why.
In the articles, 21 different findings were discussed, but I think it makes sense to just focus on the findings that I found most and least surprising, since that is what the assignment was centered around.
The first finding that surprised me was that “19% of brides said they met their spouses online”. In my post I explained that I know that online dating has been getting more popular, but that I haven’t seen many of those relationships last very long. Even more surprising to me was that in the same finding, it explained that meeting online was more common for marriages than meeting through a friend, or in college. This surprised me because I usually imagine meeting significant others in person.
The second finding that surprised me was that “more men use online dating than women”. I explained that I think there is a stigma that women always are looking for a relationship, and shows and movies tend to show women utilizing it more than men.
One finding that did not surprise me was that “One-in-five online daters have asked someone else to help them with their profile”. I explained that when making an account, you want to showcase the best version of yourself for others to see. So, I feel like it is only natural for people to have their friends help decide what makes them look appealing. It is always good to have another person verify your choices.
Another finding that did not surprise me was that “Online dating has jumped among adults under age 25 as well as those in their late 50s and early 60s”. First of all, technology has become so much more popular with each succeeding year, so it makes sense that more technology would lead to more online dating. I think that for under age 25, there is pressure to either be in a relationship or participate in hookups, which leads to the frequent use of it. For those in their 50’s and 60’s, with time passing, they have likely gotten more used to technology and have started to use it a bit themselves, so I’d expect more online dating from them too, which the finding confirms.
Reflecting on this assignment, I enjoyed reading about the different findings. Since we were presented with so many, there was a wide range of topics about the subject, so it was interesting to learn more about each topic. Even though I definitely was familiar with some of the statistics, there were definitely some that I had never heard of, or that caught me off guard.
Choosing 2 findings that we were least surprised about and 2 we were most surprised about was valuable because it required me to go back through the articles to find the ones that stuck out to me. This led me to read through them again, thus leading me to get a better understanding of the findings. It also led me to think critically, because there were more than two I was surprised and least surprised about, so I had to weigh them in my head, and make an informed decision.
Additionally, I just think the topic in general is interesting and relevant. First of all, technology is becoming more and more important in today’s society, so online dating is becoming more common, and it is good to learn more about it. Second of all, with me being a college student, dating is something that is frequently thought about and talked about. So, learning more about this style of dating is not only informative, but fits into the general things that we think about on a daily basis.
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