You may have heard rumours of an online dating app called Tinder. Most people see it as an easy way to make connections, intimate or otherwise, with new people. Economists, however, see something different – a golden opportunity for new data and research. Two recent studies have delved into the world of Tinder, illuminating the weird and wonderful world of online dating.
The first piece of research examines whom we do and don’t choose to hook up with. Specifically, it digs into whether the qualifications of a potential date make any difference to us. Maybe this won’t surprise you, but it turns out women go looking for a highly educated lover. Men, however, are far less fussed about how educated a potential partner is. Interestingly, this runs counter to the depressing case other researchers have made that men actually hide from more educated women.
More surprising, perhaps, is the second study. Its conclusion is that the app involves far more effort and leads to fewer one-night stands than is commonly thought. You need a lot of matches to even get a date, it appears, and the world of seven flings a week is a myth. Indeed, the research finds that only 20% of those sampled have had one-night stands via Tinder. I’m nervous about drawing too many firm conclusions, but all that swiping doesn’t seem to be getting people (other than the researchers) very far…
• Read more from Torsten Bell’s Top of the Charts at resolutionfoundation.org
