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Online Dating Sites

1. Introduction

In the assignment the role of online dating sites what is the importance of using these online dating sites will be discussed. At the same time, the advantages and the disadvantages of using these online dating sites and how they can help individuals to find their perfect match and compatible partner will also be discussed. Further, the scope of future marriage market in context of India will be discussed. Recommendations on how to improve these social dating sites and the future marriage market in India will be discussed.

2. Project objective

  • To analyze the advantages of social networks dating sites and future marriage market in the context of India
  • To evaluate the disadvantages of social networks dating sites and the future marriage market in the context of India
  • To recommend the ways to improve social networks dating sites and the future marriage market in India

3. Project scope

This assignment has a wide scope as it will help the individuals to find a compatible and desired match according to their interests, preferences, likes, choice, age, belief, etc. The online dating sites have gained much popularity in today’s world. It gives people multiple options to choose from. The companies such as, jeevansaathi.com, shaadi.com, bharatmatrimony.com, etc have laid effective strategies to conduct and expand their businesses.  The online dating sites are an economical and time-effective way to find out the desired partner online.

4. Literature review

Introduction

This chapter of the assignment is very significant for the researcher to gain an insight on the research issue in a theoretical context that will in return help to conduct the research in a more prominent way. In this assignment various articles, journals will be used to evaluate the findings of the researchers that are been used to develop the research.

4.1 Theoretical concept-
Social networking

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According to, Holmes & O’loughlin (2014) social networking services are also been referred to as the social networking sites or social media. It is an online medium which is been used by the people to develop or make social networks or relations with other people. In support of this, Roblyer, et al., (2010) stated that social networking sites are a platform provided online to the users who share similar interest, activities, etc   for building social relations. They are just a medium to link one person to another through online web-based applications. The users use social media networks to get in touch with one another by the medium of e-mail, easy way of messaging and also online forums. In the views of, Lin & Lu (2011) it was depicted that, social media is an attractive medium form which is used to connect people with their friends, family, clients, customers, etc. There are various social media networking sites including Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, etc. that help individual to get in connection with one another. At the same time, Jelenchick, et al., (2013) depicted that social media networking sites had made the lifestyle of people so easy that they became its regular users. People now just need an internet connection to get in connection with their near ones. On the other hand,  Arnold & Paulus (2010) stated that, social networking sites is not also that useful due to its disadvantages such as, confidentiality, privacy threats, decreases the chances of face to face communication,  and causing distractions, etc.

Dating sites

According to, Blackhart, et al., (2014) dating sites are the online dating sites which help people to get in a connection with each other over the internet. The aim of online dating can be many such as, developing or creating personal relations with one another, creating romantic relations, or looking forward for a perfect partner over the internet. In support of this, Whitty & Buchanan (2012) stated that online dating usually provides the immoderate matchmaking services over the internet to the people. There are various reason people look over these dating sites like, they are single, the curiosity of looking forward for some excitement in their lives, exploring the new dating sites, and also for sharing or expressing their feelings that too in a easy & cheap way, etc. online dating sites are getting popular now-a-days as people find there perfect matches online by just a click. In the study of Mark, et al., (2014), it was found that these sites are providing a medium to people to find their partners. Online dating sites are very easy and cheap to access and get an opportunity to find the compatible person from a list of large number of candidates. People register themselves and start to find out for the most compatible person. The online dating services provide users to become members by developing a profile and by uploading their information, photographs, etc.

Advantages of social networking dating sites

According to, Safeena, et al., (2011), it was found that social networking dating sites are helpful in finding a match, chatting, knowing different people, etc.  Online dating sites helps to provide individuals with a large number of potential partners than they can find in their daily lives. It is helpful as people are not having enough time to go out and search for their perfect match. Online dating sites provide the easy access to people to look out for compatible match.  In support of this, Finkel, et, al., (2012) illustrated that online dating sites help to save the time and efforts to search for the desired candidate online. There are various online dating sites which even help to provide personality and compatibility test online that in return provides you with limited options to choose from. Such guidance will also help the individuals to look out for dating partners who might be more compatible. In relation to this, Kreager, et al., (2014) depict that online dating sites gives the opportunity of dating the person before one actually meets face to face. Such communication will be helpful and will incur less risk and time commitment. For people having busy schedules and no time for going out in the market to find a perfect match, online dating sites are useful and excellent way to test the desired partners. Regarding this, Heino, et al., (2010) state that one of the major advantages of online dating sites is also that the individual who are very shy or nervous can better express their feelings and views or thought online. This accounts for less pressure by just texting and chatting as compared to going and meeting the person face to face. For example, studies have shown that relationships which start off online are much more successful than those who start in the real world. People who get a chance to meet online through these dating sites are found out to be more honest in describing as who they are actually in the real world.  It is explained by, Muntinga, et al., (2011) that economical cost is also a big advantage of online dating site as it requires not a great amount to get registered on the online dating site.  The person can shift their entire focus on people with similar interests, liking, taste, age, etc without wasting much of their time. In the research of, Hertlein (2012) it was explained that people who have limited group of circle can explore better opportunities to find out a partner out of your social circle who matches their personality, taste, interests, etc. as you get the chance of meeting multiple people at a same place it will help to clear out what you are actually looking for date, relationship, or something more. Beside this researcher, Vitak & Ellison (2013) elucidate that people now can date anytime whenever they wish to, there are no specific time boundations on the person. It is more comfortable form of dating than compared to offline dating.  The feeling of hesitation, shy and awkwardness is decreased to some extent as people are not meeting face to face but online. For example, the famous sites, such as jeevansathi.com, shadi.com, bharatmatrimony.com, simplemarry.com have achieved huge success in the Indian market for providing excellent matches to the potential partners who were looking forward to find their perfect compatible partners.

Evaluate the disadvantages of social networks dating sites

According to, McWilliams & Barrett (2014) people have been enjoyed the services provided by these online dating sites and it also has a scope in return. But all the things have both pros and cons. The online dating sites have their own disadvantages that can sometimes have severe results. People always have an assumption that whatever things or services are been provided to them is valid. They never make or build efforts to know the hidden or bitter reality. In the findings of, Blossfeld & Schmitz (2011) it was illustrated that, in India, it is the mindset of people that if they are getting something for cheap they are the first buyers of that thing. Same is with the case of online dating sites; people in India never lookout for the hidden reality. Online dating sites are having the biggest disadvantage of trust and safety. There is a risk as your photographs, information, contact details is all been shared and viewed by a large number of people that results in high risk of confidentiality. It is not necessary that the person who has created the profile is a genuine honest guy and is providing the real information.  In the research of,  Wada, et al., (2015) it was found that, in a research that was conducted in 2011 that 50% believed that online dating sites are not causing any problematic results while on the other hand 43% said that online dating sites involves risks. Online dating sites are causing more harm to female as compared to the men. Females who are using these online dating sites for finding their partners or compatible life partners can end up in facing a situation of fraud, stalking, sexual violence by the online users and so. There are people who just us this site for excitement and fun they are not for the reason of building honest relationships. In addition to this, Bateson, et al., (2012) states that online dating has also shown the cases of broken marriages, divorces, is entering in a situation of committing crime, violence, etc. People believe that what they see will be always correct irrespective of the fact that it can result in providing negative results. According to, Davis (2012) it was concluded that online dating sites are just developed in order to increase and maintain the customer base and to distract people. People have found out to be cheated by registering themselves on these sites, paying their membership fees and still not getting the perfect match or partner in return. At the same time, Gibbs, et al., (2011) stated that online dating sites will not only result in causing distraction but also will result in ruining your life, habits, time management, the daily schedule or routine, etc. There is not much scope of these social dating sites in marriage context as people end up in ruing their relationships. It is not necessary the person you found online will be better offline also. This results in ending marriages, divorces, getting separated, etc.

4.2 Recommendations

According to Gibbs, et al., (2011), social dating sites are having many advantages and are also providing various opportunities to people for finding out their perfect match. It is a cheap source of finding and dating online. People just need to get themselves registered and then they are provided with an online dating platform. But it is not necessary that every side is having only positive outlook there are also negative results as well. There are ways which can be recommended to improve the online social dating sites and future marriage market in India. In support of this, Wada, et al., (2015) stated that safety measures should be adopted and security concerns should be made very strict so that no fake id’s can be developed in future. Only the interested person should get themselves registered. People should only look for the people who are genuinely interested and should only keep limited choices.

It should not happen that people are looking for many alternatives and then landing up in a situation of confusion. People should develop their profile very carefully, each and every detail they put on their profile should not be allowed to be accessed by everyone. It should not happen that people are making fake profiles, and are just making the profiles for time pass and having little fun. This will in return decrease down the image of the online website. At the same time, Blossfeld & Schmitz (2011) depicted that the stalkers, people who are creating difficulties for females by disturbing them and talking in wrong terms should be punished, strict actions must be taken against them. People should not fully trust the person as he/she shows on the profile, as it is said what you see is not always correct As explained by McWilliams & Barrett (2014), people should not take major life decisions based on just a profile, and without even meeting the person in real life. This also states that people should not get overwhelmed by the luxury of having a large number of choices and they ignore the most desirable candidates in return.

5. Conclusion

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From the above assignment it can be concluded that, the concept of online dating sites is very popular now-a-days. People are looking forward to find a perfect match who is compatible with them. Online dating sites have given people the chance of finding a suitable partner, having fun, dating, connecting with different people, etc. But at the same time online dating sites are having its negative side too as it results in providing serious results. It leads to broken marriages, divorces, sexual violence, fraud, stalking, etc. so, it can be concluded that people should always look out for both the positive and negative sides of online dating sites. It is further concluded that online dating sites not only provides you the opportunity to have multiple options to choose from but also it is very economical and there are no time boundaries in it. It has also major drawbacks that people can’t fully or completely trust the person and honesty is also an issue. Also, making perception about someone at the same time is not correct.

6. References

Arnold, N., & Paulus, T. (2010). Using a social networking site for experiential learning: Appropriating, lurking, modeling and community building. The Internet and higher education13(4), 188-196.

Bateson, D. J., Weisberg, E., McCaffery, K. J., & Luscombe, G. M. (2012). When online becomes offline: attitudes to safer sex practices in older and younger women using an Australian internet dating service. Sexual health9(2), 152-159.

Blackhart, G. C., Fitzpatrick, J., & Williamson, J. (2014). Dispositional factors predicting use of online dating sites and behaviors related to online dating. Computers in Human Behavior33, 113-118.

Blossfeld, H. P., & Schmitz, A. (2011). Introduction to the special issue’Online dating: social innovation and a tool for research on partnership formation’. Zeitschrift für Familienforschung23(3), 263-266.

Davis, K. (2012). Tensions of identity in a networked era: Young people’s perspectives on the risks and rewards of online self-expression. New Media & Society14(4), 634-651.

Finkel, E. J., Eastwick, P. W., Karney, B. R., Reis, H. T., & Sprecher, S. (2012). Online dating: A critical analysis from the perspective of psychological science. Psychological Science in the Public Interest13(1), 3-66.

Gibbs, J. L., Ellison, N. B., & Lai, C. H. (2011). First comes love, then comes Google: An investigation of uncertainty reduction strategies and self-disclosure in online dating. Communication Research38(1), 70-100.

Heino, R. D., Ellison, N. B., & Gibbs, J. L. (2010). Relationshopping: Investigating the market metaphor in online dating. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships27(4), 427-447.

Hertlein, K. M. (2012). Digital dwelling: Technology in couple and family relationships. Family Relations61(3), 374-387.

Holmes, K. M., & O’loughlin, N. (2014). The experiences of people with learning disabilities on social networking sites. British Journal of Learning Disabilities42(1), 1-5.

Jelenchick, L. A., Eickhoff, J. C., & Moreno, M. A. (2013). “Facebook depression?” Social networking site use and depression in older adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Health52(1), 128-130.

Kreager, D. A., Cavanagh, S. E., Yen, J., & Yu, M. (2014). “Where have all the good men gone?” Gendered interactions in online dating. Journal of Marriage and Family76(2), 387-410.

Lin, K. Y., & Lu, H. P. (2011). Why people use social networking sites: An empirical study integrating network externalities and motivation theory. Computers in human behavior27(3), 1152-1161.

Mark, D. F., Petraglia, M., Smith, V. C., Morgan, L. E., Barfod, D. N., Ellis, B. S., … & Korisettar, R. (2014). A high-precision 40 Ar/39 Ar age for the Young Toba Tuff and dating of ultra-distal tephra: Forcing of Quaternary climate and implications for hominin occupation of India. Quaternary Geochronology21, 90-103.

McWilliams, S., & Barrett, A. E. (2014). Online dating in middle and later life: Gendered expectations and experiences. Journal of Family Issues35(3), 411-436.

Muntinga, D. G., Moorman, M., & Smit, E. G. (2011). Introducing COBRAs: Exploring motivations for brand-related social media use. International Journal of advertising30(1), 13-46.

Roblyer, M. D., McDaniel, M., Webb, M., Herman, J., & Witty, J. V. (2010). Findings on Facebook in higher education: A comparison of college faculty and student uses and perceptions of social networking sites. The Internet and higher education13(3), 134-140.

Safeena, R., Date, H., & Kammani, A. (2011). Internet Banking Adoption in an Emerging Economy: Indian Consumer’s Perspective. Int. Arab J. e-Technol.2(1), 56-64.

Vitak, J., & Ellison, N. B. (2013). ‘There’s network out there you might as well tap’: Exploring the benefits of and barriers to exchanging informational and support-based resources on Facebook. New Media & Society15(2), 243-259.

Wada, M., Clarke, L. H., & Rozanova, J. (2015). Constructions of sexuality in later life: Analyses of Canadian magazine and newspaper portrayals of online dating. Journal of aging studies32, 40-49.

Whitty, M. T., & Buchanan, T. (2012). The online romance scam: A serious cybercrime. CyberPsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking15(3), 181-183.

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