For married couples who discussed their relationship experiences online, there was no significant difference in success between online and offline couples.
For non-married couples, the pattern was different. There was a positive link between meeting through online dating and relationship success among those who talked about their relationship online.
There was no significant difference in success between those who met online or offline among non-married couples.
Hu and colleagues were surprised that online dating appeared to have a more negative impact on marriages than non-marital relationships. They had expected people to be more selective in marriage.
They concluded that in non-marital relationships, “involving one’s social network (like friends) in the relationship process, such as seeking advice or sharing updates, may boost success in relationships that start online.”
Overall, the findings demonstrate the impacts of online dating on relationship success and emphasize the role that social media plays.
The study was published in Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking.
