Analyzing data from the 2018 family survey, researchers from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) in Switzerland studied a sample of 3,235 adults who were in a relationship and met their partners in the past 10 years.
They found that couples who met on an app were more motivated to live together than others.
“The study does not say whether their ultimate intention was to live together for a long or short term, but given that there is no difference in intention to marry, and that marriage is still a central institution in Switzerland, some of these couples are likely to see the cohabitation as an experimental period before marriage, “said Gina Potarca, a researcher at the Institute of Demography and Socioeconomics at the Faculty of Social Sciences at UNIGE, in a statement.
Women who met their partners in apps also mentioned the desire and planning to have a child in the near future, the researchers said, noting that this was more common in app romances than in other forms of dating.
Couples who met on apps were just as satisfied with the quality of the relationship and their lives as those who met in other circumstances, the researchers found.
“The internet is profoundly transforming the dynamics of how people find each other,” said Potarca.
The study said dating apps encourage “a mix” of people with different levels of education, especially among women with a high level of education and men with a low level of education.
Applications can also facilitate long-distance relationships, as users can connect with users from more than 30 minutes away, she added.
“Knowing that dating apps probably became even more popular during this year’s blackout and social withdrawal period, it is comforting to dismiss alarming concerns about the long-term effects of using these tools,” added Potarca.