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ABSTRACT
Mobile dating applications like Tinder have changed how romantic relationships are pursued. However, real-world issues (e.g. racial hierarchies) are recreated within digital spaces and influence inter- and intra-racial dating intentions. The study explored how users actualise the affordances of a mobile dating application like Tinder to fulfil their racialized dating intentions. Through a qualitative study based on 25 semi-structured interviews, four novel propositions are formulated. The study specifically contributes to affordance theory as well as theories around self-presentation, impression formation and preference disclosure. The propositions articulate how inter- and intra- racial dating intentions are supported when mediated by the actualisation of mobile dating applications affordances namely Visual Dominance, Synchronicity and Locatability. The study also bridges a gap in mobile dating literature by focusing on a context beyond the Global North context, namely South Africa.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Data availability statement
The data underlying this article cannot be shared publicly in line with the explicit ethics approval terms and conditions granted for this study.