Dating apps like Tinder and Bumble often get a bad reputation for creating shallow connections based on looks rather than deeper emotional compatibility.
But a new study published in PLOS One found couples who meet via dating app actually form a deep bond — perhaps deeper than people who meet by chance in person.
For the survey, Swiss researchers analyzed 2018 data on 3,250 adults who answered the Swiss Household Panel.
That database gathered information from participants about their relationships, like how they met and what they wanted moving forward with their partner. It included 500 people who met their partners through online dating apps, websites, or digital dating services.
Despite many people's preconceived notions about dating apps and commitment, those who met online were actually more likely to want to live together in the near future and want children compared to couples who met offline.
"We actually find that in certain ways couples that met through dating apps have even stronger long-term family formation or relationship intentions than other couples that met either offline or through other digital ways of meeting," said Dr. Gina Potarca, lead author of the research, told the Guardian.
Researchers found it's become more common in Switzerland for couples to meet online than in previous years. They also found the apps brought people together from different backgrounds and parts of the country, changing the dating map.
Something important to note is many of the questions were geared towards people in heterosexual relationships who want children in the future and nearly the entire sample population are people in Switzerland.
While the data doesn't guarantee you'll find your soulmate on Grindr or Her, it does point to a growing trend of people meeting their significant others online.
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