Analyzing the data from the 2018 family survey, researchers at the Swiss University of Geneva (UNIGE) studied a sample of 3,235 adults in a relationship who have met their partner in the last 10 years.
They found that couples who met in an app were more motivated to live together than others.
“The study does not say whether their ultimate intention was to live together in the long or short term, but given that there is no difference in the intention to marry and that marriage is still a central institution in Switzerland, some of these couples consider probably cohabitation as a trial period before marriage, “said Gina Potarca, a researcher at the Institute of Demography and Socioeconomics at UNIGE’s Faculty of Social Sciences, in a statement.
Women who have met their partners in apps have also mentioned that they want and intend to have a baby in the near future, the researchers said, noting that this is more common in in-app stories than in other ways of dating. .
Couples who met in applications were as satisfied with the quality of their relationship and quality of life as those who met in other circumstances, the researchers found.
“The Internet is profoundly transforming the dynamics of the way people meet,” Potarca said.
The study said that dating apps encourage the “mixing” of people with different levels of education, especially between women with higher education and men with lower education.
Applications can also facilitate long-distance relationships, as users can connect with users more than 30 minutes away, she added.
“Knowing that dating apps are likely to become even more popular during periods of blockage and social distancing this year, it’s reassuring to dismiss alarming concerns about the long-term effects of using these tools,” Potarca added.