Masters Thesis

August 2018 - April 2019

Inspired by my background in communication theory, I decided to focus on computer-mediated communication for my UMSI masters thesis, particularly in the context of online dating. I’m fascinated with how technology fits into relationship development, especially in this modern age of swiping, messaging, and other online actions. I was also inspired by Aziz Ansari’s book, Modern Romance where Ansari, along with sociologist Eric Klinenberg, team up to investigate the landscape that contemporary singles are dealing with in the age of online dating sites and mobile applications. For my thesis, I am researching specifically how third party advice may impact how an individual presents him or herself to a potential date.

Exploring Mental Models of Authenticity and Third Party Influence in Online Dating Interactions

Method:

I began my thesis work with background research/literature review of computer-mediated communication theory and online-dating research. This included papers by scholars from various domains, from psychology to anthropology to communication studies, such as Erving Goffman, Joseph Walther, Helen Fisher, as well as research from my own UMSI committee members, Nicole Ellison and Clifford Lampe. After review of the literature and discussion with my advisor, I defined my core Research Questions:

RQ1: How do online dating users perceive the authenticity of their profiles and messages?

RQ2: What are the perceptions of third party help on the creation of profiles and user interactions on online dating applications and sites?

In order to properly address my Research Question, I needed to talk to actual users of online dating sites or applications and understand their actions on dating apps, mental models around advice, and how authentic they feel communicating to others within the site or app. I asked each participant a series of questions that aimed to uncover these themes, such as “How authentic would you say your interactions are between yourself and others on a dating site?” and “When you send a message edited by someone else, do you feel the potential date is understanding your true self?”

To recruit participants for interviews, I designed a survey, part of which is shown to the right. Survey respondents who reportedly asked for advice at more frequent intervals were preferred, but any respondent who left an email address was contacted for an in-person interview. Interviews, 18 in total, were semi-structured and lasted about 30-35 minutes each.

Data from this study yielded seven findings in three main areas: first, varying opinions about authenticity online, second, converging viewpoints regarding third party help, and third, a coinciding rejection of having a strict messaging strategy in place:

On the whole, my research discovered that in order for a dating application user to accept any advice given, the person giving advice must be a close friend that respects a message sender’s intentions, tone, and personality.

Furthermore, I found that users value the concept of authenticity, and use it as a framework for constructing cues and signals online. To achieve what they perceive as an authentic self-image, users often consult close friends to pilot or test these signals and cues.

Finally, I found users are more likely to ask for advice in scenarios where one is seriously invested in developing a relationship with another individual, to both aid in uncertainty reduction and appear as socially desirable to the potential partner.

If you’d like more details on this project, you can read my Medium Article or read the full thesis document online, here!