The dating world has evolved tremendously over the year, more now than ever with technology. Today Americans are increasingly looking for love online through online dating sites and mobile dating apps. Data from the Pew internet reveals that 15% of Americans have used online dating (Smith,2016). A recent study showed that 542 people married every day in U.S due to the famous online dating site eHarmony.
On average, through eHarmony more than 1 million Non-married people said they were in faithful relationships with an eHarmony match. Match.com reports that one in five new relationships, and one in six new marriages occur between partners who met using an online dating service but before the commitment of a relationship, little is known regarding the initial meeting when partners choose to meet each other in person. Online dating sites promote initial interaction between prospective romantic partners. Once the beginner phase has been established, the question now is, when should I meet him/her in person? 65% of online daters in Whitty and Carr ‘s (2006) study reported arranging face to face meetings within one week of their initial online meeting. This encounter is essential because it provides additional cues that could either increase or shrink online daters ‘ perceptions of each other (Finkel et al.
, 2012), and therefore helps daters assess their offline romantic relationship potential (Whitty, 2008). Online daters might be unsure regarding whether it is better to meet prospective partners face to face soon after establishing online contact, or postpone offline encounters until trust is build and intimacy/interest have been established. Hence this study will indicate the effect of timing of face to face meetings prior to commu. .expectations. Ramirez and Zhang (2007) stated that partners who engaged in early interaction report a more positive POV forecast, a decline in doubt, and an increase in information seeking.
Yet, individuals experiencing a late meeting with partner reported a lowered POV forecast, an increase in uncertainty, but a continued increase in information seeking. These two results imply a curvilinear association between the continuous indicator of time spent communicating online prior to meeting face to face, and daters ‘ POV upon switching to face to face contact. This study ends at the point of the initial meeting, and consequently do not offer insight into long-term success. However, it provides strong support for advancing early face to face interaction and understanding the effects of online dating interaction on outcomes resulting from initial face to face meetings.
