"Algorithmic vs.

Human Matchmaking: A Comparative Study of Relationship Satisfaction and Compatibility in Online

examining whether AI-driven matchmaking actually leads to better compatibility, satisfaction, or long-term success
compared to traditional dating

PAPER 1-

• Title: Personality Traits Differences in Young People Opting for Online vs. Traditional Dating

• Authors: L.T. David, A.G. Nițu

• Year of Publication: 2024

• Published in: Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov, Series VII: Social Sciences • Law

• DOI: 10.31926/but.ssl.2023.16.65.2.1

Aim

To examine the personality traits, self-esteem, and relationship satisfaction differences between young people who
opt for online dating versus traditional dating.

Objectives

• To assess differences in extraversion levels between online and traditional daters.

• To evaluate self-esteem variations between the two groups.

• To determine if rejection sensitivity differs between online and traditional daters.

• To measure dating anxiety levels among both groups.

• To compare relationship satisfaction levels between online and traditional daters.

• To explore whether rejection sensitivity predicts dating anxiety.

Hypotheses

1. Online daters have higher extraversion than traditional daters.

2. Self-esteem differs between online and traditional daters.

3. There are differences in rejection sensitivity between the two groups.

4. Online daters experience lower dating anxiety than traditional daters.

5. Online daters report higher relationship satisfaction.

6. Rejection sensitivity predicts dating anxiety.

Sample

• Participants: 90 individuals aged 18-27 years (M = 22.16, SD = 1.71)

• Groups:

o 44 participants in traditional relationships

o 46 participants in relationships initiated via online dating apps

Methodology

• Study Type: Correlational study

• Measures Used:

o Extraversion: International Personality Item Pool

o Self-Esteem: State Self-Esteem Scale

o Rejection Sensitivity: Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire

o Dating Anxiety: Dating Anxiety Scale

o Relationship Satisfaction: Couples Satisfaction Index

Results

• Confirmed Hypotheses:

o Online daters were more extroverted than traditional daters.

o Online daters had lower dating anxiety than traditional daters.

o Online daters had higher relationship satisfaction than traditional daters.

o Rejection sensitivity predicted dating anxiety.

• Not Supported Hypotheses:

o No significant difference in self-esteem between the two groups.

o No significant difference in rejection sensitivity between the two groups.

PAPER 2-

• Title: Disintermediating Your Friends: How Online Dating in the United States Displaces Other Ways of
Meeting

• Authors: Michael J. Rosenfeld (Stanford University), Reuben J. Thomas (University of New Mexico), Sonia
Hausen (Stanford University)

• Year of Publication: 2019

• Published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), Volume 116, Issue 36

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1908630116

Aim

To analyze the increasing role of online dating in how heterosexual couples meet in the U.S. and how it has displaced
traditional intermediaries like friends and family.

Objectives

• To track historical trends in how couples meet.

• To investigate whether online dating has replaced traditional matchmaking methods.

• To determine if the role of personal intermediaries (friends, family) in matchmaking has declined.

• To assess whether online dating has changed relationship outcomes.

Hypothesis

1. The percentage of heterosexual couples meeting online will continue to grow beyond the 2005-2009 plateau
of 22%.
 2. Any rise in internet dating will reinforce, rather than replace, the role of friends and family as intermediaries.

Sample

• Survey Data:

o How Couples Meet and Stay Together (HCMST) survey

o 2009 and 2017 waves

• Total Participants:

o 2,473 respondents from HCMST 2009

o 2,997 respondents from HCMST 2017

• Study Population: Heterosexual couples in the U.S.

Methodology

• Study Type: Longitudinal survey analysis

• Data Collection:

o Open-ended survey responses on how couples met

o Logistic regression models to analyze trends over time

o Comparison between 2009 and 2017 surveys

• Key Variables:

o Year couples met

o Method of meeting (online, through friends, family, bars, workplaces, etc.)

o Role of personal intermediaries in matchmaking

Results

• Confirmed Hypothesis 1: The percentage of heterosexual couples meeting online increased significantly from
22% (2009) to 39% (2017).

• Rejected Hypothesis 2: The rise in online dating displaced rather than reinforced the role of friends and
family in matchmaking.

• Key Findings:

o Online dating became the most popular way for heterosexual couples to meet by 2013, surpassing
meeting through friends.

o The percentage of couples who met online without personal intermediaries increased from 81%
(2009) to 89.5% (2017).

o Meeting through family, friends, and traditional venues (bars, workplaces) declined significantly.

Future Implications

• Future research should explore long-term relationship outcomes of online vs. offline couples.

• Investigate the impact of dating algorithms on relationship compatibility.

PAPER 3-
 • Title: Quality and Satisfaction Levels of Couples Who Met Through Dating Applications

• Authors: Jericho Allen S. De Guzman, Rachelle A. Delmindo, Alia Niles M. Delos Santos, Marae Franz Lulo,
and Martina S. Oraa

• Institution: Rizal Technological University

• Year of Publication: May 2024

• DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.15710.65605

Aim

To examine the relationship quality and satisfaction levels of couples who met through dating applications and assess
the correlation between these factors.

Objectives

• To determine the demographic profile of respondents.

• To measure the level of relationship quality among couples who met through dating applications.

• To evaluate the level of relationship satisfaction among these couples.

• To examine whether a significant correlation exists between relationship quality and relationship satisfaction.

Hypothesis

• There is a significant positive correlation between relationship quality and relationship satisfaction.

Sample

• Participants: 790 individuals (395 couples) who met through dating applications.

• Age Range: 18 and above, with most respondents aged 21–25 years old.

• Sampling Method: Quota sampling based on Krejcie and Morgan’s table for sample size determination.

Methodology

• Study Type: Descriptive correlational study.

• Data Collection: Face-to-face survey using a Likert-scale questionnaire.

• Measures Used:

o Relationship Quality Scale

o Couple Satisfaction Index-16

• Statistical Analysis:

o Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r): To assess the relationship between relationship quality and
satisfaction.

Results

• Relationship Quality:

o 51.8% of respondents reported average relationship quality.

o 16.2% reported high relationship quality.

o 32% reported low relationship quality.

• Relationship Satisfaction:
 o 39.7% reported high satisfaction.

o 34.6% reported average satisfaction.

o 25.7% reported low satisfaction.

• Correlation Analysis:

o Pearson’s r = 0.422, p < 0.001

o Indicates a significant positive relationship between relationship quality and relationship

o Higher relationship quality was associated with greater relationship satisfaction.

Future Implications & Identified Research Gaps

• The study found that most couples who met through dating apps had average relationship quality but high
satisfaction.

• There is limited research on long-term stability and outcomes of online-initiated relationships.

• Future research should explore psychological factors, cultural influences, and potential biases in dating
algorithms.

• A comparison between AI-driven matchmaking and human matchmaking (friends/family introductions)

PAPER 4-

• Title: Dating on a Different Stage, but with the Same Habits – An Analysis of Offline vs. Online Dating
Behavior

• Authors: Jennifer Haase, Gergana Vladova, Benedict Bender

• Institution: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

• Year of Publication: 2022

• DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/kj68b

Aim

To compare online vs. offline flirting and dating behavior using Tinder as an example, focusing on self-esteem, social
desirability, social anxiety, and data privacy concerns.

Objectives

• To examine if users behave differently in online vs. offline dating.

• To analyze how self-esteem, social desirability, and social anxiety influence dating behavior.

• To study how Tinder users adjust their behavior online vs. offline.

• To assess how concerns about data privacy impact online dating interactions.

Hypotheses

1. Individuals with low self-esteem will show greater differences between online and offline behavior.

2. People with high social desirability and social anxiety will behave more differently online vs. offline.
 3. Users who adjust their Tinder profiles more will show greater differences in behavior between online and
offline settings.

4. Users who distrust Tinder’s data privacy policies will have greater consistency between their online and
offline behavior.

Sample

• Total Participants: 119 active Tinder users.

• Demographics:

o Age: Mean = 30.54 years (SD = 6.48).

o Gender: 28.8% Female, 69.5% Male.

o Sexual Orientation: 69.5% Heterosexual, 3.4% Homosexual, 25.4% Bisexual.

o Relationship Status: 39.8% Single, 39.8% Married, 5.1% In a committed relationship, 9.3% In an open
relationship.

o Location: 53.4% USA, 39.8% India, 2.5% European countries.

Methodology

• Study Type: Quantitative survey-based research.

• Data Collection: Online survey through social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Reddit, University mailing lists).

• Measures Used:

o Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965).

o Social Desirability Scale (Marlowe-Crowne, 1960).

o State Social Anxiety Scale.

o Behavior Adjustment on Tinder Scale (Self-developed).

o Perceived Data Privacy Scale (Chen & Barnes, 2007).

• Statistical Analysis:

o Correlational analysis, t-tests, and Response Surface Analysis (RSA) to compare behavior consistency
in online vs. offline settings.

Results

• Confirmed Hypotheses:

o Users who adjust their Tinder profiles more also show greater differences in online vs. offline
behavior.

o Older Tinder users were less emotionally affected by online rejection than younger users.

o Married users with high social anxiety had greater behavioral mismatches between offline and
online settings.

• Rejected Hypotheses:

o Self-esteem did NOT predict greater differences in online vs. offline behavior.

o Social desirability and social anxiety did NOT significantly impact behavioral differences.

Future Implications & Research Gaps

• Further research is needed to explore how motivations for using dating apps (e.g., casual vs. serious
relationships) affect self-presentation.

• Future studies should examine long-term relationship satisfaction for couples who met online vs. offline.

How This Relates to Your Research:

• You can use this study to explore whether Tinder’s matching algorithms truly improve compatibility or if
behavior remains the same across online and offline settings.

• The study suggests that users don’t drastically change their behavior online, which might challenge the idea
that algorithm-matched partners are more compatible than those who meet traditionally.

• It also highlights data privacy concerns, which could be an additional variable in your research (e.g., Do
people trust AI matchmaking more than human matchmaking?).