Gender Differences in Online Dating: What Do We Know So Far? A Systematic Literature Review <s> Motivation: <s> A survey of the users of an online computer-mediated matchmaking service showed that their communication patterns and objectives varied by their sex, shyness level, and appearance. Men generally contacted women more than vice versa, but a substantial minority of the women contacted a great number of men, suggesting that the safety and anonymity the system offered helped them break free from traditional sex role norms. More than half of the women reported starting a romantic or sexual relationship through the system, as compared to less than a third of the men, reflecting, in part, that men outnumber women on the system nearly three to one. Users who scored higher on a shyness scale were much more likely than less shy users to say they were using the system to find romance or sex, suggesting shier users employ the system as a way to overcome their inhibitions. Women who rated their own appearance as average were less likely to be contacted by men than those who rated their appearance as above average, but there was no significant difference between appearance groups concerning the likelihood of starting a romantic or sexual relationship. Intrinsic aspects of this computer-mediated matchmaking system helped some users overcome relationship-initiation barriers rooted in sex role, shyness, and appearance inhibitions. <s> BIB001 </s> Gender Differences in Online Dating: What Do We Know So Far? A Systematic Literature Review <s> Motivation: <s> Purpose – An online survey was carried out with the purpose of finding out the extent to which internet users subscribe to online dating services. The paper aims to assess users' experiences of such services and their eventual outcomes.Design/methodology/approach – Data were obtained through a self‐completion online questionnaire survey posted on the website of a leading internet research agency, utilising its online panel of c. 30,000 UK respondents.Findings – More than 3,800 online panellists responded of whom 29 per cent said they had used an online dating site. Most of these respondents (90 per cent) had spent up to £200 on internet dating in the past two years, with 70 per cent of users achieving at least one date, 43 per cent enjoying at least one sexual relationship, and 9 per cent finding a marriage partner.Research limitations/implications – Despite the limitations over sample control of self‐completion surveying, a large online sample was achieved that indicated the growing importance of the int... <s> BIB002 </s> Gender Differences in Online Dating: What Do We Know So Far? A Systematic Literature Review <s> Motivation: <s> Women were less likely to use online dating sites to find sexual partners.Homosexual uses: relationship, sex partner, distraction, and convenient companion.Neurotics use ODSs for identity, convenient companion, and distraction. Online dating sites (ODSs) have become popular with users trying to find partners. The purpose of this study was to determine the role that biological and personality traits play in the use of online dating websites. A cross sectional survey with 678 participants-including cohorts from college as well as the general population-provided data for this study. The Five Factor Model personality model (FFM), sexual orientation, and biological sex were utilized as antecedents to the uses of and gratifications from online dating sites. Results uncover sex and sexual orientation differences in both personality traits and gratifications sought from online dating sites. Specifically, women and homosexuals were found to be more neurotic, women were more agreeable, and homosexuals were more open to experiences. Homosexual users sought a wider range of gratifications (relationship, sex partner, distraction, and convenient companion) from online dating sites than their heterosexual counterparts. Women were less likely to use ODSs to find sexual partners, but more likely to use ODSs to be social. Those who were neurotic use dating sites to build an identity, as a convenient companion, and as a distraction. People who are open to experiences were found to use dating sites to be social. Disagreeable people use dating sites because of peer pressure and as a status symbol, and conscientious people were found to use dating sites to find a relationship. <s> BIB003
Initial motives to engage in online dating are likely to play an important role in the subsequent process of mate selection. As such, sex differences in motivation are congruent with typical strategies of mating theory (see Table 3 ). When presented with a variety of opportunities, male users prefer short-term romantic relationships with low level of commitment BIB003 [27] BIB001 . In contrast, female users claim to be driven by such a non-romantic reason as finding friends BIB003 [27] BIB001 or a potential marriage partner BIB002 , which, however, reveals inclination towards long-term relationships. Interestingly, these motivations are time-indifferent with studies dating 1995, 2008 and 2015 providing consistent results.