If you’re single AF and searching for a connection, you may want to reconsider Tinder. According to the newly released results of their “Modern Dating Myths” survey, Tinder users want a committed relationship more than people who date in more “traditional” circumstances—a.k.a, offline.
Tinder’s survey compares results from over 9,000 men and women dating in the United States. When it comes to commitment, 74 percent of the online daters had held a committed relationship as adults—whereas the same was true for only 49 percent of offline daters.
Aside from commitment, “Modern Dating Myths” topics included conversation, exclusivity, safety and sexting. In each case, the “reality” of each topic was far from what you’d expect. If you thought that Tinder dates never happen, 95 percent of Tinder users in the survey reported that they meet up within 2-7 days of matching. When it comes to those three little words, 5 percent more online daters said “I love you” within three months than their offline counterparts.
These survey results don’t line up with general assumptions about the app. Of the variety of dating apps available, Tinder has become almost synonymous with a casual hook-up. Swiping left or right based on a few photos and a short bio have led to accusations that it’s “superficial.” A controversial 2015 article in Vanity Fair likened the rise of Tinder and similar apps to a “dating apocalypse.”
The fact that this survey was conducted by Tinder itself has caused some professionals to take the results with a grain of salt. In an interview with The New York Times, University of Massachusetts sociology professor Jennifer Lundquist speculated that the survey may be a move to improve Tinder’s hook-up reputation. Since the data comes from a small portion of daters, it may not accurately represent widespread dating trends held by Tinder users nationwide.
But the numbers Tinder provides in their survey paint a picture of an app where users find lasting commitment instead of a one-night stand (not that there’s anything wrong with casual hookups, if that’s your jam). Further, those five photos aren’t all that’s driving users’ swipes: 96 percent of online daters consider education an important factor in choosing a partner. Tinder’s official sociologist, Dr. Jess Carbino, said in a statement to PR Newswire that “dating apps like Tinder have played such a significant role in connecting people for the long term. While hesitation to use Tinder might stem from negative preconceived notions, we’ve actually proven that singles will find just as much, if not more, success using dating apps than dating solely offline.”
Additionally, a separate survey conducted by ABODO also names Tinder as a standout favorite among other online dating apps. According to ABODO, Tinder was used by 84.4 percent of surveyed college students—and only 5.6 percent of their respondents expected a hookup on the first date.
Whether you meet your bae online or offline doesn’t matter as much as what you like about them. But, if the data in “Modern Dating Myths” holds true, Tinder might be your best bet for meeting someone who’s down for more than one date.
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