Scripts for Online Dating: a Model and Theory of Online Romantic Relationship Initiation
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SCRIPTS FOR ONLINE DATING: A MODEL AND THEORY OF ONLINE ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP INITIATION Bridget L. Long A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY May 2010 Committee: Dr. Sandra Faulkner, Advisor Dr. Deborah G. Wooldridge Graduate Faculty Representative Dr. Thomas Mascaro Dr. Sung-Yeon Park Dr. Monica Longmore ii ABSTRACT Dr. Sandra Faulkner, Advisor This study examined online dating practices by exploring the process and scripts for online dating from both sites and site members. The purpose was to uncover how online daters and sites were responsible for changes from more traditional dating scripts, and to add to Script Theory and Social Information Processing Theory. Ethnographic content analysis of online dating sites and in-depth interviews with online daters were conducted to develop a Model for Online Dating and Online Romantic Initiation Theory. The model presented in this study demonstrated how scripts in the online dating process were reciprocal and how the different levels of scripts worked together. This study also added to knowledge of contemporary courtship and decision-making in terms of love styles, shopping lists, elimination strategies and how singles relate to others. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my advisor Dr. Sandra Faulkner for her guidance, patience, dedication, time, and support throughout my graduate career. I appreciate all of her guidance on my dissertation and in all areas of my development as a scholar and a person. Her encouragement during my instances of frustration helped me survive. Thank you. I would like to also thank my professors and especially my committee, Dr. Thomas Mascaro, Dr. Sung-Yeon Park, Dr. Monica Longmore, and Dr. Deborah Wooldridge. I sincerely appreciate their time and guidance throughout the process of my graduate career, examinations, and writing of my dissertation. Dr. Mascaro has been an inspiration and believed in my abilities even when I doubted them myself. Thank you for being so supportive, your help in editing, and pushing me to be better. I also want to express my appreciation for the support of my family especially my parents, Randy and Diane Long, and my sister, Leslye Long. They have supported me in every way possible throughout my journey as a student and helped me through stressful situations. Thank you for helping me to achieve my goals, believing in me even in my hardest times, and for being such an amazing family and support system! I would also like to thank my friends who supported me (and had fun with me) throughout my graduate career: Samara, Laura, Cynthia, Charlie, Michelle, Sarah, Ethan, and Brittany. A special thanks to Samara and Justine for their assistance proofreading and Alisa for proofreading and helping me find participants. Finally, a special thanks to Derek Wideman for being the most supportive boyfriend I can imagine and being there for all of the ups and downs. His belief in me helped push me through. To those of you who I have missed, I am sorry but I truly appreciate everyone’s support throughout my 10-year journey to the finish line! iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION AND RATIONALE ................................................. 1 Importance ............................................................................................................ 1 Statement of Problem .................................................................................................. 5 Perspective on Technology .......................................................................................... 6 Purpose of Study .......................................................................................................... 9 Methodological Choices .............................................................................................. 9 Summary ............................................................................................................ 10 CHAPTER II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE ....................................................................... 11 Social Information Processing Theory and Hyperpersonal Communication ............ 13 Script Theory ............................................................................................................ 15 Traditional Scripts for Dating .................................................................................... 17 Dating Advice and Scripts in Media .......................................................................... 24 Online Dating Processes ............................................................................................ 29 Research Questions .................................................................................................... 46 Summary ............................................................................................................ 46 CHAPTER III. METHODS .................................................................................................. 48 Research Design......................................................................................................... 48 Ethnographic Content Analysis of Dating Sites ........................................................ 51 In-Depth Interviews with Online Daters .................................................................... 61 Grounded Theory, Data Analysis, and Meta-Inferences ........................................... 70 Summary ............................................................................................................ 74 v CHAPTER IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ................................................................. 76 Personal Narrative and Scripts ................................................................................... 78 Model of Online Dating ............................................................................................ 144 The Reciprocal Nature of Online Dating Scripts ....................................................... 153 Summary ............................................................................................................ 259 CHAPTER V. CONCLUSIONS .......................................................................................... 261 Online Romantic Relationship Initiation Theory (ORRIT) ....................................... 261 Contributions ............................................................................................................ 267 Limitations and Future Research ............................................................................... 272 Summary ............................................................................................................ 274 REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................... 276 APPENDIX A. ECA DATA COLLECTION PROTOCOL ................................................ 286 APPENDIX B. INTERVIEW GUIDE FOR IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS ............................ 287 vi LIST OF FIGURES/TABLES Figure Page 1 My Profile on Match.com .......................................................................................... 12 2 Search Box on Match.com ......................................................................................... 13 3 Multistrand Concurrent Mixed Model Research Design ........................................... 50 4 eHarmony Email, December 13, 2009 ....................................................................... 81 5 eHarmony Email, November 4, 2009 ........................................................................ 82 6 eHarmony Homepage, December 2009 ..................................................................... 83 7 Important Qualities on eHarmony, December 2009 .................................................. 86 8 Starting the Matching Process on eHarmony............................................................. 87 9 My Matches Page on eHarmony ................................................................................ 89 10 One of My Matches’ Profiles on eHarmony .............................................................. 90 11 My Must Haves List in eHarmony............................................................................. 91 12 My eHarmony Homepage .......................................................................................... 94 13 Guided Communication with Match Sample Page on eHarmony ............................. 96 14 Example of Five Questions Sent to a Match on eHarmony ....................................... 97 15 Sample Dimension of My Personality Profile on eHarmony .................................... 99 16 Sample from Dating Advice Page on eHarmony ....................................................... 102 17 Sample Page from Relationships Advice on eHarmony ............................................ 103 18 Match Homepage, December 2009............................................................................ 106 19 My Homepage on Match ........................................................................................... 108 20 Match Search Page, December 2009 ......................................................................... 109 21 Profile Pro on Match, December 2009 ...................................................................... 109 vii 22 Sample Profile Content Provided by Match, December 2009 ................................... 111 23 Primary Photo Advice Page on Match ......................................................................