Psychology In The News | The Changing Face of Dating

Language and the Dating Scene

In the digital age, dating apps have revolutionised how people connect, introducing a new lexicon of acronyms that can be both helpful and bewildering. Gone are the days of seeking a GSOH (Good Sense of Humour) in newspaper ads; now, singletons navigate terms like ENM (Ethical Non-Monogamy), ONS (One Night Stand), and NSA (No Strings Attached).

With over one in 10 UK adults using online dating services, this new language has become ubiquitous. However, it's not without its drawbacks. Some daters, like 44-year-old Matt, find acronyms like FWB (Friends with Benefits) off-putting. Dating Coach, Jacob Lucas, warns that these terms can "isolate" those unfamiliar with them, potentially causing missed connections. He advises using plain English instead.

Yet, for certain communities, these acronyms serve as a "green light," signalling specific interests or preferences. Jordan, 24, admits to Googling unfamiliar terms, while Jo, 44, finds them "mind-boggling." The article suggests that older generations might struggle most with this digital dialect.

Despite the challenges, online dating has opened new avenues for self-expression and connection. However, many, like Jo, still yearn for the simplicity of meeting someone "relatively normal in a pub."

Read the BBC news article here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/art...

The rise of pebbling

In the digital age, dating has evolved from mutual friends setting up dates to a world of dating apps and social media connections. Gen Z has introduced new dating terms like "fizzling" (gradually disengaging from a relationship without ending it) and "masterdating," (going out on dates alone to get to know yourself better) with the latest trend being "pebbling."

Inspired by Gentoo penguins' courtship ritual of giving pebbles to build nests, "pebbling" in human relationships involves sharing small gestures like memes, Instagram reels, or messages to express affection.

Relationship expert Gigi Engle describes memes as a modern "love language," strengthening connections by saying, "I saw this and thought of you." However, she cautions that a sudden stop in "pebbling" could signal ghosting or relationship issues.

Read the Guardian snippet abut pebbling here: https://www.theguardian.com/li...

ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW!

1. Why might news stories about trends in dating be culturally biased?
2. Which aspects of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs could we relate the concept of ‘masterdating’ to? Try to link the idea to at least 2 of the levels in the hierarchy of needs.
3. Many would argue that older individuals would not understand digital dating language (such as newer acronyms or the concept of ‘pebbling’) as well as younger people. How can the differences in understanding digital dating language be explained by social learning theory?
4. Design a study to analyse the difference between older and younger people’s understanding of the changes to the dating scene outlined in this article. You should include: The Independent Variable and the Dependent Variable, the sampling method, the experimental design, and an appropriate task participants could complete

Justify (give reasons for) your answers throughout