Summary
Dating app offers have grown significantly in recent years, Tinder being one of the most popular ones. Moderate use of these apps can be accompanied by a positive impact (easier way to meet romantic partners and greater confidence in one's sexuality). This consumption is, however, accompanied in small portion of people with a problematic use. The psychological determinants of problematic dating app usage are still little studied. Avoidant attachment (flight from overly intimate relationships), depressed mood, sexual desire, low self-esteem and impulsivity could contribute to a problematic use. Tinder offers users a free and an upgraded version for which you have to pay for. Paying consumers may differ from others on certain psychopathological variables and may be at higher risk for problematic usage of the app.
Objectives
1. Compare payers versus non-payers on socio-demographical variables, problematic Tinder use, Tinder use patterns, motives for using Tinder, impulsivity traits, depressive mood and attachment style
2. Analyse which factor from the above mentioned can best predict group membership
Method
This memoir uses secondary data from another study on the psychological determinants of Tinder use. A number of 1,697 participants were recruited on social networking sites and answered an online questionnaire in 2018. Among all, 8.11% participants (N=94) from the final sample reported being a subscriber and/or had paid for regular offers on Tinder. The self-report questionnaires were based on several scales that assert different variables related to Tinder use in relationship to the paying versus non-paying status.
Results
It was found that payers were more likely to be men and had higher cybersex motives as well.
Attachment style and high impulsivity weren’t linked to a higher probability to pay for upgrades.
Conclusion
The aim of the study was to determine the psychological and psychopathological determinants of Tinder users purchasing paying features. Further studies should investigate the type of features that are contracted by users, monthly upgrades vs. upgrades “on the go” and the way they correlate to the different components of impulsivity (positive urgency and sensation seeking).