A note of caution is in order whenever studying a trendy technological innovation: Since this research was conducted, Tinder has changed its interface to allow users to include their education and work information on their profiles. Users can also ‘Super Like’ other profiles, thus bringing their interest and their own profile to the front of another user’s queue. Such changes are a reminder of the importance of maintaining a broader theoretical lens and not focusing solely on technological features.
Beyond theoretical considerations, several issues related to the process of data collection are worth mentioning. Two weeks into my recruitment via the app, of the fourteen email responses I received, only three were from women. The three who eventually responded to my request also requested more information about the project and proof of my personal identity; male respondents did not do so. Such difficulty reminded me that for women on Tinder, I was presenting as a man – without an identifying picture – asking to meet and interview them. This issue highlights the importance of issues Dallas dating ideas such as safety that women particularly face online (Spitzberg Hoobler, 2002 ).
Further, it is important to keep in mind who actually responds to a request for academic research via a dating app. Though diverse in terms of age, my interviewees as a whole were almost all highly educated and white. Their stereotypes – and rejection – of those from other walks of life were in line with the past literature: This tendency has been found to be a common practice on dating sites when seeking potential partners (Fiore Donath, 2005 ). But what about those Tinder users my interviewees rejected? What is their experience of self-presenting and selecting matches on Tinder? Even in past literature these individuals seem underrepresented, with an elite group giving voice to research findings. This is an important factor to remedy in future research. Continue reading “The first is the difference in recruitment experiences between female and male Tinder users”