Communication News Love at First Site Online Dating Study Earns Major Grant
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FALL 2015 College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts Communication News Love at first site Online dating study earns major grant ow more than ever, that remains to be addressed. information, or do they focus it people use technology “Online dating is the second- on human-generated informa- to help them make most popular way for single tion, such as profiles?” decisions — which Americans to meet a romantic Preliminary results have been Nrestaurants to visit, which stores partner, behind being introduced somewhat surprising. to shop, which brands to buy, to someone by a friend or fam- “I’ve been surprised at how which route to take to work. In ily,” she says. “We’re interested in much people trust technology 2015, the online referral business looking at how new online dat- for something that is usually is booming, and companies such ing technology affects the ways thought of as very serendipitous as Yelp and Angie’s List have cre- people initiate relationships and and a ‘just happens’ kind of ated an industry based on peo- the ways they make decisions, thing,” Tong says. “When it ple’s desire to do due diligence when they decide whom to date, Stephanie Tong: comes to romantic encounters, before making daily social or and whether or not to pursue the “I’ve been surprised we’re finding people do trust economic commitments. So it relationship.” at how much people these sites and algorithms a lot comes as no surprise that more Tong is collaborating on her trust technology for to help facilitate that process.” and more people are turning to interdisciplinary study with something that is usually Though much of her study is technology to help them make Richard Slatcher and Jeff Han- thought of as very centered on compatibility algo- romantic decisions as well. cock, the co-investigators on the serendipitous and a rithms, Tong says her team is Stephanie Tong, assistant pro- grant. Slatcher is an associate ‘just happens’ kind of less focused on the mathematical fessor of communication studies professor of psychology at Wayne thing. When it comes workings of these systems and at Wayne State, has been study- State, and Hancock is a professor to romantic encounters, more on people’s perceptions ing the relationship between dat- in the Department of Communi- we’re finding people of them. ing and computer-mediated cation at Stanford University. do trust these sites and “We’re not trying to communication for more than a Tong’s eight-student research algorithms a lot to help reverse-engineer eHarmony or year. In September, she received team at Wayne State conducts its facilitate that process.” anything,” she says. “What we’re a three-year grant totaling experiments in the Online Inter- really interested in is people’s $851,462 to continue her action Lab in Manoogian Hall, attitudes and opinions of algo- research. The grant is from the analyzing data from various sur- rithms, and how that affects the National Science Foundation’s veys and eye-tracking exercises. decisions they make. Whether or Interdisciplinary Behavioral and Tong says these types of research not the algorithm is actually suc- Social Sciences Division and is methods allow her team to see cessful is irrelevant for us.” the largest in the communication how participants react to the Tong and her team are study- department’s history. system-generated cues of dating ing whether there are particular Tong has had a long-running websites and whether they trust circumstances in which people interest in online communica- the website’s recommendations. are more or less inclined to trust tion and relationships and says “There are lots of different fea- technology in their search for she wants to know how the rela- tures of online dating websites love, or types of people who are tional landscape in American that come from algorithmic more or less inclined to do so, society is being affected by the selection or curation,” she says. but she says it’s still too early to rise of online dating. Finding out “Where do people focus their tout any results. what the social implications are, attention? Do they focus it more Studying the effects of online Tong says, is an important issue on machine-generated CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 FROM THE CHAIR | LEE WILKINS All the right moves omentum. undergraduate program became Kelly Jakes have moved into It’s one of those things officially certified by the national the leadership of their respective Myou can pinpoint best Public Relations Society of divisions. Assistant Professor in retrospect, but this last year America. Certification is an Jim Cherney serves on the has been one of broad-ranging external validation that the pro- Legislative Assembly. Assistant accomplishment for both stu- gram is among the elite — not Professor Stine Eckert is now dents and faculty. just in the state, where only one vice chair of the Feminist Stud- The faculty have had a spec- other program carries this dis- ies Division of the International tacular year in grant funding. tinction, but in the nation. Add Communication Association, Not only did Assistant Professor to that another first: Wayne while Assistant Professor Stephanie Tong land the largest State’s chapter of the Public Rela- Michael Fuhlhage now holds a grant in the college’s history, but Lee Wilkins: “This tions Student Society of America three-year term as research chair Assistant Professors Kelly Jakes last year has been in cooperation with the PRSSA for the American Journalism and Michael Fuhlhage landed one of broad-ranging chapter at Michigan State Uni- Historians Association. sizable internal awards as well. accomplishment for versity will sponsor the regional The forensics program had the Assistant Professor Elizabeth both students and PRSSA conference to be held best year — Associate Professor Stoycheff snagged internal funds faculty.” here in March. Plus, a podcast of Kelly Young believes — in its to purchase 10 iPads for report- this year’s Ofield Dukes Diversity history. Lambda Pi Eta has more ing students. Of course, the trick Summit, “Busting Bias,” can be than 50 student members. Time with grants is not just landing downloaded for free from the to graduation continues to them but also doing the work; Department of Communication’s decline, and the department that impact will be seen over the new website. awarded more scholarships in the next two years. Finally, there’s momentum past year than ever before. Living Then, there’s the momentum in academic leadership. Here at in Detroit is once again cool. of the public relations program. NCA, Associate Professor Kat Momentum. in November, the Wayne State Maguire and Assistant Professor — Lee Wilkins ONLINE DATING STUDY | CONTINUED dating on how single Americans “It’s convenient. people turn to in order to get networks. You get access to a choose romantic partners is together, is that going to change larger dating pool. I think a lot important, Tong says, because That’s one of the the relational landscape over of people see the benefits of it.” now there is enough history and time?” Tong and her research team data associated with the technol- biggest advantages Memberships in online have presented their pilot data ogy to ascertain whether people dating sites have surged since to the International Communi- view it as a viable long-term way of online dating.” Match.com launched in 1995, cation Association, the National to meet people. with at least one in 10 American Communication Association, “The stigma is fading. I think adults now saying they’ve used a and the Central States Commu- it’s becoming a pretty standard dating site or app, according to nication Association. Once the practice, especially with young the Pew Research Center. Tong study is completed, Tong plans adults,” she says. “These ‘new’ says she attributes this swell in to pursue other media outlets. technologies are not that new popularity to today’s mobile- Students interested in partici- anymore, and that’s another friendly society. “It’s convenient. pating in the study may email good reason to study it. If so That’s one of the biggest advan- online.dating.at.wayne@gmail many people are using these sites tages of online dating,” she says. .com. Tong says the study is and this is truly one way that “You get to widen your social slated for completion in 2018. • 2 • Communication News • Fall 2015 RECOGNITION PR program receives national accreditation ayne State’s under- Performing and Communication to Detroit’s professional commu- graduate public rela- Arts. “The PR community nity that ensured this national W tions program was throughout Michigan has long Wayne selected for recognition.” awarded the Certification in Edu- recognized the strength of the PRSSA conference Four core faculty members, cation for Public Relations in July program. With this accreditation, The Wayne State and supplemented by the communica- from the national governing the program moves into the ranks Michigan State chapters tion department’s journalism and board of the Public Relations of the elite.” of the Public Relations communication studies faculty, Society of America. Wayne State’s In February, a two-member Student Society of Amer- provide instruction for the depart- public relations program is one of site review team visited campus ica have been selected ment’s 130 majors. only two in Michigan to achieve and issued a preliminary report, by PRSSA National to PRSA’s Educational Affairs this prestigious status and is the citing the Wayne State program as co-host a Regional Con- Committee also strongly sup- only one in metropolitan Detroit a model that should be emulated ference this spring in ported the Wayne State faculty’s to hold the credential.