Cyber-Dating and Traditional Dating Methods - Essay Example

Describing the term dating is vague and ambiguous in today’s world. Marquardt described a variety of definitions for dating in 2001. Dating can be described as “a fast-moving, highly committed relationship, when two people quickly form a serious and intense bond, spending most of their time together” (Rosenthal 2012). With the advent of computers, social networking sites and a plethora of dating sites available for teenagers and adults, online dating is rapidly becoming the newest trend for 21st-century people.

Estimates show that there are 836 dating sites in January 2005 and 40 million Americans visit the online dating sites every month. A survey also showed that 14% of singles who were engaged, married or dating someone met them through online dating services (Rosen et al 2007). Although the differences between online dating and traditional dating are quite divergent, both display a variety of benefits and demerits when compared in various perspectives. The path that a relationship develops between two people is different and the bond created also differs when it comes to online dating and the conventional dating methods.

The time taken for a relationship to flourish varies significantly. Online dating begins with email messages, interactions on social networking sites and chatting through the internet. . Cyber-dating offers an escape from the various stereotypical roles and commitment issues that bound the otherwise conventional methods of traditional forms of dating. The traditional forms of dating mainly propose that a man asks a woman for dating and courtship. However, online dating offers the teenage girls to experiment with their powers within a heterosexual relationship (Nayar 2010).

Traditional norms maintain that the woman should wait for the man, however, online dating services and experience lets the girls or women experiment with modern and more assertive relationship experiences. Although internet dating offers quick courtship services, the information and data provided by candidates can sometimes be deceptive. It is easier for people to lie to each other and the appearances can be altered to deceive the other person (Nayar 2010).