The Real Reason People Use Tinder
Dating apps are not just for hookups
Picture-based dating apps like Tinder have a reputation for being places where users can get tons of sex, but if you’re not using them, don’t get jealous just yet. According to a study in Personality and Individual Differences, people on these dating apps are no more likely to have more sex — casual or otherwise — than people who meet potential partners in other places, since everyone may be swimming in the same pond.
“Apps have become the new public arena for dating,” said researcher Leif Edward Ottesen Kennair. “But to a large extent, the people using them are the same ones you find dating other ways.”
“The myth that men on dating apps are only looking for casual sex isn’t accurate.” — Ernst Olav Botnen
The people using them are also there for reasons that have nothing to do with dating or sex at all. For example, both men and women admit that they often go on apps like Tinder simply because they’re bored and just want to see who else is on the platform. Also, women tend to use an app even if they aren’t looking for a potential partner just to find out what other people think of them.
