Abstract

This study aims to investigate the motivation of using dating apps and psychological factors affecting them, focusing on young people in their 20s(n=319), who are known as the main users of dating apps. For this purpose, this study examined the actual state of using dating apps and the motivations for using them, and examined the effects of psychological factors such as basic psychological needs, and sexual attitudes on the motivation to use the apps. The study found that about 25% of all respondents continue to use dating apps. As for the motivations to use dating apps, the sub-factors such as ‘love’, ‘self-esteem improvement’, ‘sex’ and ‘fun’ were extracted. As a result of hierarchical regression analysis, psychological factors predicting ‘love’ for dating app use motivation were basic psychological desire satisfaction/disapproval, hedonic sexual attitude and sexual responsibility, and they showed significant explanation. And psychological factors predicting ‘self-esteem improvement’ for dating app use motivation were basic psychological desire satisfaction and sexual responsibility that showed significant explanation. The variables that showed significant explanatory amount on the ‘sex’ motivation for using dating apps were basic psychological desire satisfaction/disapproval, permissive sexual attitude and sexual responsibility. The ‘fun’ motivation for using dating apps was found to have a significant effect on basic psychological needs satisfaction/disapproval. Based on the results of this study, implications for the use of dating apps in their 20s and suggestions for follow-up studies were discussed.