Understanding the motivations behind dating applications: Exploring future predictions by Dane Anthony Davis B.S., Southeast Missouri State University, 2015 A REPORT submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree MASTER OF SCIENCE A.Q. Miller School of Journalism and Mass Communications College of Arts and Sciences KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY Manhattan, Kansas 2018 Approved by: Major Professor Dr. Danielle LaGree Copyright © Dane Anthony Davis 2018. Abstract This exploratory research utilized focus groups from college students to learn how and why people are using current mobile dating applications to form and maintain relationships. Additionally, the author asked participants about their perception of a new mobile application that is still in the conceptual stages called Flick. The results revealed seven key themes to the gratifications people receive from mobile dating apps: (Theme 1: Dating Applications as Games and Entertainment; Theme 2: Perceptions of App Functions Vary by Gender; Theme 3: Dating Applications to Embrace Hookup Culture/Casual Sex; Theme 4: Dating Applications as the Lottery Ticket for Love/Relationship Seeking; Theme 5: Dating Applications as Self-Validation; Theme 6: Dating Applications for Social Means; Theme 7: Dating Applications as Trendiness) Lastly, the overall perceptions of Flick were very positive from all sessions. However, when it comes to the dating component of the application, the users were much more uncertain. Due to this finding, the author has decided to take the branding and purpose of Flick to only focus on the business and friend components. Table of Contents Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ vi Dedication ..................................................................................................................................... vii Preface.......................................................................................................................................... viii Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................... xi Chapter 1- Introduction & Background .......................................................................................... 1 Project Focus ........................................................................................................................... 1 The Historical Revolution of Dating .......................................................................................... 2 Online dating matures ............................................................................................................. 3 Flick: A Mobile Application ....................................................................................................... 6 Flick dating ............................................................................................................................. 6 Flick Friends ....................................................................................................................... 7 Flick Biz .................................................................................................................................. 8 Flick: Author’s note ................................................................................................................ 8 Theoretical Framework ................................................................................................ 9 Uses and Gratifications Theory .................................................................................................. 9 Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) meets Uses and Gratifications ............................................... 11 U&G and SCT: Relevance to studying online dating usage ................................................. 13 Methodology .............................................................................................................. 15 Research Questions ................................................................................................................... 15 Method ...................................................................................................................................... 15 Focus groups ......................................................................................................................... 15 Subjects ................................................................................................................................. 16 Data analysis ......................................................................................................................... 18 Findings...................................................................................................................... 19 7 Key Themes ........................................................................................................................... 19 Theme 1: Dating applications as games and entertainment .................................................. 19 Theme 2: Perceptions of app functions vary by gender ........................................................ 20 Theme 3: Dating applications to embrace hookup culture/casual sex .................................. 22 Theme 4: Dating applications as the lottery ticket for love/relationship seeking ................. 23 iv Theme 5: Dating applications as self-validation ................................................................... 25 Theme 6: Dating applications for social means .................................................................... 26 Theme 7: Dating applications as trendiness .......................................................................... 27 Discussion and Implementation ................................................................................. 28 Using Focus Group Results to Develop Flick .......................................................................... 28 Major Conclusion: Flick: “It’s not a dating app.” .................................................................... 29 References ..................................................................................................................................... 31 Appendix A - Focus Group Discussion Guide ............................................................................. 36 v Acknowledgements The time spent here at Kansas State University has made me better in more ways than I can put words to. There were times that I was unsure of my abilities, but thankfully I had some of the smartest and hardworking people behind me the entire time. I would just like to take the time now to thank them for everything they did. First, thank you Dr. Danielle LaGree, Dr. Natalie Pennington, and Dr. Alec Tefertiller for going above and beyond to see this final project get done. I came across a few hurdles, and you all were superstars in the way you helped me overcome them. Special thanks to you. Secondly, thank you Dr. Raluca Cozma, Dr. Barb Desanto, and Dr. Steve Smethers for never giving up on me. If it weren’t for you three, I wouldn’t be here in the first place, and wouldn’t have gotten out in one piece. I would also like to give a special thanks to Cameron Hecker for calling me on my drive home one day and asking me to start a business with him called Flick. That was a crucial moment for my graduate career. Lastly, I just wanted to thank my grandmother, Jackie Davis (G Baby), and my dog, Mogli, for being by my side every step of the way. Life is always better with loved ones who support you through the thick and thin. One Love Everybody vi Dedication I’d like to dedicate this to my niece, Ellenor Rose Marie. I woke up on May 2, 2018 to mentally prepare myself for my defense, and was welcomed with the news of your arrival to this earth. I couldn’t be there for it, but you were in my thoughts the whole day. Welcome to the world baby girl. vii Preface I am absolutely fascinated with how quickly technology is evolving. Even more interesting than the development of technology is how it is influencing human relationships. When I was born in 1991, my grandmother had a bag phone in her car, my parents had beepers, landlines all had cords, and the internet was a new thing nobody understood very well. Fast forward to 2017: I’m working at Best Buy. I sold a family of four brand new iPhones worth $800. This piece of technology enabled the family’s capability of managing finances, watching full-length feature films in 4K, video conferencing people around the world, producing music, and, of course, text messaging and phone calls. Most surprising, the children were only six and eight years old and were completely literate on how to use their new cell phones that were more capable than most of the technology older generations used to run their personal and professional lives. How does that influence people on a macro-level? How does having the ability to communicate with people, and find information instantly effect people? It has introduced new elements to human communication that has changed when we communicate, how we communicate, and even why we communicate. The children that I sold those iPhones to will never truly understand what life was like before the luxuries modern technology. This is why I feel I am in a unique position because I am one of the last generations of people who will remember a life when the internet was underdeveloped, and phones only made phone calls. There are two people who