HRPYC81
Project 1 Assignment 3 2025
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Unique number: 853851
Due Date: 2025
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
EXPLORING THE PSYCHOLOGICAL DYNAMICS OF ONLINE ROMANTIC
RELATIONSHIPS: MOTIVATIONS FOR DATING APP USE AND THE ROLE OF
LONELINESS
1. INTRODUCTION
In today’s digitally connected world, dating apps like Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge have
transformed how people initiate and form romantic relationships. These platforms allow
users to bypass traditional dating barriers, offering increased access to potential
partners across social and geographic boundaries (Erevik et al., 2020). While the
popularity of dating apps continues to rise, especially among young adults,
psychological questions remain about what motivates individuals to use them and how
emotional needs such as loneliness may influence this behaviour.
Online romantic relationships differ from traditional offline encounters in that initial
Terms of use
By making use of this
impressions are often based on self-presentation strategies and selective criteria, suchdocument you agree to:
Use this document as a guide for learning, comparison and reference purpose,
Terms of use
Not to duplicate, reproduce and/or misrepresent the contents of this document as your own work,
By making use of this document you agree to:
Use this document
Fully accept the consequences
solely as a guide forshould you plagiarise
learning, reference,or and
misuse this document.
comparison purposes,
Ensure originality of your own work, and fully accept the consequences should you plagiarise or misuse this document.
Comply with all relevant standards, guidelines, regulations, and legislation governing academic and written work.
Disclaimer
Great care has been taken in the preparation of this document; however, the contents are provided "as is" without any express or
implied representations or warranties. The author accepts no responsibility or liability for any actions taken based on the
information contained within this document. This document is intended solely for comparison, research, and reference purposes.
Reproduction, resale, or transmission of any part of this document, in any form or by any means, is strictly prohibited.
, +27 67 171 1739
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
EXPLORING THE PSYCHOLOGICAL DYNAMICS OF ONLINE ROMANTIC
RELATIONSHIPS: MOTIVATIONS FOR DATING APP USE AND THE ROLE OF
LONELINESS
1. INTRODUCTION
In today’s digitally connected world, dating apps like Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge have
transformed how people initiate and form romantic relationships. These platforms
allow users to bypass traditional dating barriers, offering increased access to
potential partners across social and geographic boundaries (Erevik et al., 2020).
While the popularity of dating apps continues to rise, especially among young adults,
psychological questions remain about what motivates individuals to use them and
how emotional needs such as loneliness may influence this behaviour.
Online romantic relationships differ from traditional offline encounters in that initial
impressions are often based on self-presentation strategies and selective criteria,
such as physical appearance and social status (Lemay et al., 2010). Furthermore,
some users may be motivated by the desire for emotional connection or
entertainment, while others may seek short-term sexual encounters (Van De Wiele &
Tong, 2014). These diverse motivations are likely influenced by the psychological
state of the user, including feelings of social loneliness.
Within the South African context, online dating is gaining momentum, particularly in
urban areas where access to mobile technology is high (Gibbs et al., 2022).
However, research examining the psychological drivers of dating app use in South
Africa remains limited. This study therefore aims to explore two key psychological
constructs: users’ motivations for dating app use and their levels of loneliness, in
order to understand how these factors relate to engagement in online romantic
relationships.
This proposal will draw from psychological and behavioural theories to assess how
these variables interact and what implications they hold for relationship formation in
the digital age.
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
Disclaimer
Great care has been taken in the preparation of this document; however, the contents are provided "as is"
without any express or implied representations or warranties. The author accepts no responsibility or
liability for any actions taken based on the information contained within this document. This document is
intended solely for comparison, research, and reference purposes. Reproduction, resale, or transmission
of any part of this document, in any form or by any means, is strictly prohibited.
Project 1 Assignment 3 2025
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Unique number: 853851
Due Date: 2025
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
EXPLORING THE PSYCHOLOGICAL DYNAMICS OF ONLINE ROMANTIC
RELATIONSHIPS: MOTIVATIONS FOR DATING APP USE AND THE ROLE OF
LONELINESS
1. INTRODUCTION
In today’s digitally connected world, dating apps like Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge have
transformed how people initiate and form romantic relationships. These platforms allow
users to bypass traditional dating barriers, offering increased access to potential
partners across social and geographic boundaries (Erevik et al., 2020). While the
popularity of dating apps continues to rise, especially among young adults,
psychological questions remain about what motivates individuals to use them and how
emotional needs such as loneliness may influence this behaviour.
Online romantic relationships differ from traditional offline encounters in that initial
Terms of use
By making use of this
impressions are often based on self-presentation strategies and selective criteria, suchdocument you agree to:
Use this document as a guide for learning, comparison and reference purpose,
Terms of use
Not to duplicate, reproduce and/or misrepresent the contents of this document as your own work,
By making use of this document you agree to:
Use this document
Fully accept the consequences
solely as a guide forshould you plagiarise
learning, reference,or and
misuse this document.
comparison purposes,
Ensure originality of your own work, and fully accept the consequences should you plagiarise or misuse this document.
Comply with all relevant standards, guidelines, regulations, and legislation governing academic and written work.
Disclaimer
Great care has been taken in the preparation of this document; however, the contents are provided "as is" without any express or
implied representations or warranties. The author accepts no responsibility or liability for any actions taken based on the
information contained within this document. This document is intended solely for comparison, research, and reference purposes.
Reproduction, resale, or transmission of any part of this document, in any form or by any means, is strictly prohibited.
, +27 67 171 1739
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
EXPLORING THE PSYCHOLOGICAL DYNAMICS OF ONLINE ROMANTIC
RELATIONSHIPS: MOTIVATIONS FOR DATING APP USE AND THE ROLE OF
LONELINESS
1. INTRODUCTION
In today’s digitally connected world, dating apps like Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge have
transformed how people initiate and form romantic relationships. These platforms
allow users to bypass traditional dating barriers, offering increased access to
potential partners across social and geographic boundaries (Erevik et al., 2020).
While the popularity of dating apps continues to rise, especially among young adults,
psychological questions remain about what motivates individuals to use them and
how emotional needs such as loneliness may influence this behaviour.
Online romantic relationships differ from traditional offline encounters in that initial
impressions are often based on self-presentation strategies and selective criteria,
such as physical appearance and social status (Lemay et al., 2010). Furthermore,
some users may be motivated by the desire for emotional connection or
entertainment, while others may seek short-term sexual encounters (Van De Wiele &
Tong, 2014). These diverse motivations are likely influenced by the psychological
state of the user, including feelings of social loneliness.
Within the South African context, online dating is gaining momentum, particularly in
urban areas where access to mobile technology is high (Gibbs et al., 2022).
However, research examining the psychological drivers of dating app use in South
Africa remains limited. This study therefore aims to explore two key psychological
constructs: users’ motivations for dating app use and their levels of loneliness, in
order to understand how these factors relate to engagement in online romantic
relationships.
This proposal will draw from psychological and behavioural theories to assess how
these variables interact and what implications they hold for relationship formation in
the digital age.
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
Disclaimer
Great care has been taken in the preparation of this document; however, the contents are provided "as is"
without any express or implied representations or warranties. The author accepts no responsibility or
liability for any actions taken based on the information contained within this document. This document is
intended solely for comparison, research, and reference purposes. Reproduction, resale, or transmission
of any part of this document, in any form or by any means, is strictly prohibited.
