Digital Dating: Online Profile Content of Older and Younger Adults

Older adults are utilizing online dating websites in increasing numbers. Adults of different ages may share motivations for companionship and affection, but dating profiles may reveal differences in adults' goals. Theories addressing age-related changes in motivation suggest that younger adults...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences Psychological sciences and social sciences, 2016-11, Vol.71 (6), p.959-967
Main Authors: Davis, Eden M, Fingerman, Karen L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Age differences
Age Factors
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Courtship
Dating services
Female
Humans
Internet - statistics & numerical data
Interpersonal Relations
Male
Middle Aged
Older people
Original Research Report
Self Concept
Social networks
User profiles
Websites
Young Adult
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Summary:Older adults are utilizing online dating websites in increasing numbers. Adults of different ages may share motivations for companionship and affection, but dating profiles may reveal differences in adults' goals. Theories addressing age-related changes in motivation suggest that younger adults are likely to emphasize themselves, achievements, attractiveness, and sexuality. Older adults are likely to present themselves positively and emphasize their existing relationships and health. We collected 4,000 dating profiles from two popular websites to examine age differences in self-presentations. We used stratified sampling to obtain a sample equally divided by gender, aged 18-95 years. We identified 12 themes in the profiles using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count software (Pennebaker, Booth, & Francis, 2007). Regression analyses revealed that older adults were more likely to use first-person plural pronouns (e.g., we, our) and words associated with health and positive emotions. Younger adults were more likely to use first-person singular pronouns (e.g., I, my) and words associated with work and achievement. Findings suggest that younger adults enhance the "self" when seeking romantic partnership. In contrast, older adults are more positive in their profiles and focus more on connectedness and relationships to others.
ISSN:1079-5014
1758-5368
DOI:10.1093/geronb/gbv042