When Can We Meet For Coffee?: Strategies In Online Dating To Build Liking When Exchanging Mediated Messages

摘要

This study investigates what strategies are implemented in online dating settings by online daters that lead to an offline meeting. The variables of openness and attentiveness were used as the main strategies that lead to liking between individuals using this dating medium. The study compared levels of openness and attentiveness between groups of online daters who decided to meet offline and those who decided not to meet offline after exchanging messages on the online dating site. The results show there is a higher level of both openness and attentiveness reported by the participants who met someone offline when compared to an experience where they did not meet someone offline. Although these variables are not a predictor in whether the offline meeting will be successful, they seem to be predictors in getting to the offline meeting, which is considered a successful use of the online dating medium. The study also found that men were more likely to be the initiators to ask for an offline meeting when compared to women.