With the advent of dating apps like Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge, finding a match has become an exciting yet unpredictable. Making a connection is only part of the function of such apps, but their main objective is to be addictive so that users are always hooked. This maximizes profits.
Dating apps have become more than just tools for meeting new people; they have been gamified to keep users swiping, scrolling, and spending more time (and money) using a particular platform.
Similar to gambling, dating apps engage the brain’s reward system. In the case of dating apps, the unlikely wins are a perfect match or a meaningful connection. That is, these apps are designed with roughly the same mechanics as gambling apps. Apps like Tinder and Bumble encourage users to swipe left or right. The action looks simple, but each swipe provides a thrill because no one knows precisely when a match will appear.
Gamification is not limited to just that. Users can increase their odds by utilizing bonuses, visibility enhancements, and other premium features. Dating apps discuss users becoming more invested in their profiles, and that makes finding romance seem like a gamble. Unpredictability, emotional ups and downs, and instant gratification are all part of the formula that keeps users coming back to use an app—something California-based psychologist Alina Liu discusses, among other things. In this case, developers, like casinos, always win.
The algorithms behind dating apps further fuel addiction. Ultimately, while searching for love should be about genuine connection, dating apps often turn it into a game. This can have a particularly strong and negative impact on young people. So before you take that next swipe, it’s worth thinking about the mechanics behind it.
The material has been prepared with the support of https://plinkogames.in/.
