Frustrations with Pursuing Casual Encounters through Online Dating

Abstract

Many users of online dating systems have a multitude of relationship goals including casual encounters. However, most studies of online dating systems have focused exclusively on users' abilities to find long-term relationships. This has restricted our understanding of how to design systems for users that have multiple relationship goals. To address this gap in understanding we explored how people use online dating systems in regards to casual encounters. We did this through an interview study with users of a popular online dating system in the USA and a study of online dating coaches who give behavioral advice specific to the pursuit of casual encounters. Findings highlight how users subtly disguise and probe for openness to casual encounters, while coaches try to overcome ambiguities in user intentions through a series of targeted dating methods.