HRPYC81
Assignment 4
Project 1 Research Report
Unique No: 600847
Year 2025
,HRPYC81
Assignment 4: Project 1
Unique No: 600847
Due 2025
Title: Exploring the Psychological Dynamics of Online Romantic Relationships:
Motivations for Dating App Use and the Role of Loneliness
Table of Contents
ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................... 5
1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 6
2. LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................... 8
2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 8
2.2 Conceptualising Romantic Relationships ............................................................... 8
2.3 Psychological Factors Influencing Romantic Relationships ................................... 9
2.4 Psychological Outcomes Influenced by Romantic Relationships ........................... 9
2.5 The Relationship Between Dating App Use and Key Concepts ........................... 10
2.5.1 Loneliness and Dating App Use .................................................................... 10
2.5.2 Motivations for Online Dating ........................................................................ 11
2.6 Importance of Studying Online Relationships in the South African Context ......... 11
2.7 Hypotheses .......................................................................................................... 12
3. RESEARCH METHOD .............................................................................................. 13
, 3.1 Research Design ................................................................................................. 13
3.2 Sampling Strategy ............................................................................................... 13
3.3 Participants .......................................................................................................... 14
3.4 Measurements ..................................................................................................... 15
3.4.1 UCLA Loneliness Scale – Short Form ........................................................... 15
3.4.2 Motives for Online Dating Scale .................................................................... 15
3.5 Data Collection Procedure ................................................................................... 16
3.6 Data Analysis Plan ............................................................................................... 16
4. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS .................................................................................. 18
4.1 Informed Consent ................................................................................................ 18
4.2 Confidentiality and Anonymity .............................................................................. 18
4.3 Minimising Psychological Risk ............................................................................. 18
4.4 Avoidance of Harm and Coercion ........................................................................ 19
4.5 Ethical Approval ................................................................................................... 19
5. PARTICIPANTS ......................................................................................................... 20
5.1 Demographic Profile ............................................................................................ 20
5.2 Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria ........................................................................... 20
5.3 Justification of the Sample ................................................................................... 20
5.4 Limitations of the Sample .................................................................................... 21
6. SAMPLING PROCEDURE ........................................................................................ 22
6.1 Sampling Approach .............................................................................................. 22
6.2 Recruitment Process ........................................................................................... 22
6.3 Sample Size Considerations ................................................................................ 22
6.4 Strengths and Weaknesses of the Sampling Procedure ...................................... 23
, 7. MEASUREMENTS .................................................................................................... 24
7.1 UCLA Loneliness Scale – Short Form ................................................................. 24
7.1.1 Description .................................................................................................... 24
7.1.2 Reliability and Validity.................................................................................... 24
7.1.3 Relevance to the Study ................................................................................. 25
7.2 Motives for Online Dating Scale (MODS) ............................................................ 25
7.2.1 Description .................................................................................................... 25
7.2.2 Reliability and Validity.................................................................................... 25
7.2.3 Relevance to the Study ................................................................................. 26
7.3 General Strengths and Limitations of Measurements .......................................... 26
8. DATA ANALYSIS ....................................................................................................... 27
8.1 Analytical Strategy ............................................................................................... 27
8.2 Data Screening and Preparation .......................................................................... 27
8.3 Descriptive Statistics ............................................................................................ 27
9. RESULTS .................................................................................................................. 28
9.1 Preliminary Analysis ............................................................................................. 28
9.2 Main Analysis ....................................................................................................... 28
9.2.1 Hypothesis 1 ................................................................................................. 28
9.2.2 Hypothesis 2 ................................................................................................. 29
9.3 Summary of Results ............................................................................................ 29
10. DISCUSSION .......................................................................................................... 30
10.1 Support of Original Hypotheses ......................................................................... 30
10.2 Similarity and Comparison with Previous Research .......................................... 30
10.3 Limitations.......................................................................................................... 31
Assignment 4
Project 1 Research Report
Unique No: 600847
Year 2025
,HRPYC81
Assignment 4: Project 1
Unique No: 600847
Due 2025
Title: Exploring the Psychological Dynamics of Online Romantic Relationships:
Motivations for Dating App Use and the Role of Loneliness
Table of Contents
ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................... 5
1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 6
2. LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................... 8
2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 8
2.2 Conceptualising Romantic Relationships ............................................................... 8
2.3 Psychological Factors Influencing Romantic Relationships ................................... 9
2.4 Psychological Outcomes Influenced by Romantic Relationships ........................... 9
2.5 The Relationship Between Dating App Use and Key Concepts ........................... 10
2.5.1 Loneliness and Dating App Use .................................................................... 10
2.5.2 Motivations for Online Dating ........................................................................ 11
2.6 Importance of Studying Online Relationships in the South African Context ......... 11
2.7 Hypotheses .......................................................................................................... 12
3. RESEARCH METHOD .............................................................................................. 13
, 3.1 Research Design ................................................................................................. 13
3.2 Sampling Strategy ............................................................................................... 13
3.3 Participants .......................................................................................................... 14
3.4 Measurements ..................................................................................................... 15
3.4.1 UCLA Loneliness Scale – Short Form ........................................................... 15
3.4.2 Motives for Online Dating Scale .................................................................... 15
3.5 Data Collection Procedure ................................................................................... 16
3.6 Data Analysis Plan ............................................................................................... 16
4. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS .................................................................................. 18
4.1 Informed Consent ................................................................................................ 18
4.2 Confidentiality and Anonymity .............................................................................. 18
4.3 Minimising Psychological Risk ............................................................................. 18
4.4 Avoidance of Harm and Coercion ........................................................................ 19
4.5 Ethical Approval ................................................................................................... 19
5. PARTICIPANTS ......................................................................................................... 20
5.1 Demographic Profile ............................................................................................ 20
5.2 Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria ........................................................................... 20
5.3 Justification of the Sample ................................................................................... 20
5.4 Limitations of the Sample .................................................................................... 21
6. SAMPLING PROCEDURE ........................................................................................ 22
6.1 Sampling Approach .............................................................................................. 22
6.2 Recruitment Process ........................................................................................... 22
6.3 Sample Size Considerations ................................................................................ 22
6.4 Strengths and Weaknesses of the Sampling Procedure ...................................... 23
, 7. MEASUREMENTS .................................................................................................... 24
7.1 UCLA Loneliness Scale – Short Form ................................................................. 24
7.1.1 Description .................................................................................................... 24
7.1.2 Reliability and Validity.................................................................................... 24
7.1.3 Relevance to the Study ................................................................................. 25
7.2 Motives for Online Dating Scale (MODS) ............................................................ 25
7.2.1 Description .................................................................................................... 25
7.2.2 Reliability and Validity.................................................................................... 25
7.2.3 Relevance to the Study ................................................................................. 26
7.3 General Strengths and Limitations of Measurements .......................................... 26
8. DATA ANALYSIS ....................................................................................................... 27
8.1 Analytical Strategy ............................................................................................... 27
8.2 Data Screening and Preparation .......................................................................... 27
8.3 Descriptive Statistics ............................................................................................ 27
9. RESULTS .................................................................................................................. 28
9.1 Preliminary Analysis ............................................................................................. 28
9.2 Main Analysis ....................................................................................................... 28
9.2.1 Hypothesis 1 ................................................................................................. 28
9.2.2 Hypothesis 2 ................................................................................................. 29
9.3 Summary of Results ............................................................................................ 29
10. DISCUSSION .......................................................................................................... 30
10.1 Support of Original Hypotheses ......................................................................... 30
10.2 Similarity and Comparison with Previous Research .......................................... 30
10.3 Limitations.......................................................................................................... 31
