HRPYC81
Assignment 4
Project 1 Research Report
Unique No: 600847
Year 2025
,HRPYC81
Assignment 4: 600847
Project 1 Research Report
Due 2025
Research Report
Title: Loneliness and Motivations for Online Dating: Companionship and Casual
Sex among South African University Students
Contents
ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................... 5
1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 7
2. LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................... 9
2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 9
2.2 Conceptualising Romantic Relationships ............................................................... 9
2.3 Psychological Factors Influencing Romantic Relationships ................................. 10
2.4 Psychological Outcomes Influenced by Romantic Relationships ......................... 10
2.5 The Relationship Between Dating App Use and Key Concepts ........................... 11
2.5.1 Loneliness and Dating App Use .................................................................... 11
2.5.2 Motivations for Online Dating ........................................................................ 12
2.6 Importance of Studying Online Relationships in the South African Context ......... 12
2.7 Hypotheses .......................................................................................................... 13
3. RESEARCH METHOD .............................................................................................. 14
, 3.1 Research Design ................................................................................................. 14
3.2 Sampling Strategy ............................................................................................... 14
3.3 Participants .......................................................................................................... 15
3.4 Measurements ..................................................................................................... 16
3.4.1 UCLA Loneliness Scale – Short Form ........................................................... 16
3.4.2 Motives for Online Dating Scale .................................................................... 16
3.5 Data Collection Procedure ................................................................................... 17
3.6 Data Analysis Plan ............................................................................................... 17
4. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS .................................................................................. 19
4.1 Informed Consent ................................................................................................ 19
4.2 Confidentiality and Anonymity .............................................................................. 19
4.3 Minimising Psychological Risk ............................................................................. 19
4.4 Avoidance of Harm and Coercion ........................................................................ 20
4.5 Ethical Approval ................................................................................................... 20
5. PARTICIPANTS ......................................................................................................... 21
5.1 Demographic Profile ............................................................................................ 21
5.2 Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria ........................................................................... 21
5.3 Justification of the Sample ................................................................................... 21
5.4 Limitations of the Sample .................................................................................... 22
6. SAMPLING PROCEDURE ........................................................................................ 23
6.1 Sampling Approach .............................................................................................. 23
6.2 Recruitment Process ........................................................................................... 23
6.3 Sample Size Considerations ................................................................................ 23
6.4 Strengths and Weaknesses of the Sampling Procedure ...................................... 24
, 7. MEASUREMENTS .................................................................................................... 25
7.1 UCLA Loneliness Scale – Short Form ................................................................. 25
7.1.1 Description .................................................................................................... 25
7.1.2 Reliability and Validity.................................................................................... 25
7.1.3 Relevance to the Study ................................................................................. 26
7.2 Motives for Online Dating Scale (MODS) ............................................................ 26
7.2.1 Description .................................................................................................... 26
7.2.2 Reliability and Validity.................................................................................... 26
7.2.3 Relevance to the Study ................................................................................. 27
7.3 General Strengths and Limitations of Measurements .......................................... 27
8. DATA ANALYSIS ....................................................................................................... 28
8.1 Analytical Strategy ............................................................................................... 28
8.2 Data Screening and Preparation .......................................................................... 28
8.3 Descriptive Statistics ............................................................................................ 28
9. RESULTS .................................................................................................................. 29
9.1 Preliminary Analysis ............................................................................................. 29
9.2 Main Analysis ....................................................................................................... 29
9.2.1 Hypothesis 1 ................................................................................................. 29
9.2.2 Hypothesis 2 ................................................................................................. 30
9.3 Summary of Results ............................................................................................ 30
10. DISCUSSION .......................................................................................................... 31
10.1 Support of Original Hypotheses ......................................................................... 31
10.2 Similarity and Comparison with Previous Research .......................................... 31
10.3 Limitations.......................................................................................................... 32
Assignment 4
Project 1 Research Report
Unique No: 600847
Year 2025
,HRPYC81
Assignment 4: 600847
Project 1 Research Report
Due 2025
Research Report
Title: Loneliness and Motivations for Online Dating: Companionship and Casual
Sex among South African University Students
Contents
ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................... 5
1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 7
2. LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................... 9
2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 9
2.2 Conceptualising Romantic Relationships ............................................................... 9
2.3 Psychological Factors Influencing Romantic Relationships ................................. 10
2.4 Psychological Outcomes Influenced by Romantic Relationships ......................... 10
2.5 The Relationship Between Dating App Use and Key Concepts ........................... 11
2.5.1 Loneliness and Dating App Use .................................................................... 11
2.5.2 Motivations for Online Dating ........................................................................ 12
2.6 Importance of Studying Online Relationships in the South African Context ......... 12
2.7 Hypotheses .......................................................................................................... 13
3. RESEARCH METHOD .............................................................................................. 14
, 3.1 Research Design ................................................................................................. 14
3.2 Sampling Strategy ............................................................................................... 14
3.3 Participants .......................................................................................................... 15
3.4 Measurements ..................................................................................................... 16
3.4.1 UCLA Loneliness Scale – Short Form ........................................................... 16
3.4.2 Motives for Online Dating Scale .................................................................... 16
3.5 Data Collection Procedure ................................................................................... 17
3.6 Data Analysis Plan ............................................................................................... 17
4. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS .................................................................................. 19
4.1 Informed Consent ................................................................................................ 19
4.2 Confidentiality and Anonymity .............................................................................. 19
4.3 Minimising Psychological Risk ............................................................................. 19
4.4 Avoidance of Harm and Coercion ........................................................................ 20
4.5 Ethical Approval ................................................................................................... 20
5. PARTICIPANTS ......................................................................................................... 21
5.1 Demographic Profile ............................................................................................ 21
5.2 Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria ........................................................................... 21
5.3 Justification of the Sample ................................................................................... 21
5.4 Limitations of the Sample .................................................................................... 22
6. SAMPLING PROCEDURE ........................................................................................ 23
6.1 Sampling Approach .............................................................................................. 23
6.2 Recruitment Process ........................................................................................... 23
6.3 Sample Size Considerations ................................................................................ 23
6.4 Strengths and Weaknesses of the Sampling Procedure ...................................... 24
, 7. MEASUREMENTS .................................................................................................... 25
7.1 UCLA Loneliness Scale – Short Form ................................................................. 25
7.1.1 Description .................................................................................................... 25
7.1.2 Reliability and Validity.................................................................................... 25
7.1.3 Relevance to the Study ................................................................................. 26
7.2 Motives for Online Dating Scale (MODS) ............................................................ 26
7.2.1 Description .................................................................................................... 26
7.2.2 Reliability and Validity.................................................................................... 26
7.2.3 Relevance to the Study ................................................................................. 27
7.3 General Strengths and Limitations of Measurements .......................................... 27
8. DATA ANALYSIS ....................................................................................................... 28
8.1 Analytical Strategy ............................................................................................... 28
8.2 Data Screening and Preparation .......................................................................... 28
8.3 Descriptive Statistics ............................................................................................ 28
9. RESULTS .................................................................................................................. 29
9.1 Preliminary Analysis ............................................................................................. 29
9.2 Main Analysis ....................................................................................................... 29
9.2.1 Hypothesis 1 ................................................................................................. 29
9.2.2 Hypothesis 2 ................................................................................................. 30
9.3 Summary of Results ............................................................................................ 30
10. DISCUSSION .......................................................................................................... 31
10.1 Support of Original Hypotheses ......................................................................... 31
10.2 Similarity and Comparison with Previous Research .......................................... 31
10.3 Limitations.......................................................................................................... 32
