Dating apps can be addictive because they activate the dopamine reward system in the human brain. About this post Live Science said Larry Rosen, professor of psychology at California State University.
Online dating apps help people find like-minded individuals in creativity, business, and entertainment, and provide the opportunity to begin communicating with potential romantic and marriage partners. The psychologist explained that when a “match” occurs in such practices – the coincidence of two people who sympathize or are interested – a large amount of dopamine is released into the brain.
This substance is called the happiness hormone because it is obtained when a subjectively pleasant experience is experienced. According to Rosen, this dopamine rush causes a short-term burst of happiness. Because of this effect, many people tend to spend more time on apps to get matches.
But the desire to increase dopamine levels through dating apps isn’t quite the same as physical drug addiction. Stopping using them is not as physically devastating as quitting alcohol or heroin, for example. But in some ways the underlying biochemistry is similar. Some people may lose control over the time they spend on apps, and not being able to respond to incoming messages immediately can increase anxiety.
Some researchers believe that app developers regularly introduce new features that make it harder for users to stop signing in. The strategies companies use to do this rely heavily on positive reinforcement; Constant interaction with the application is rewarded by receiving certain bonuses and extensions.
Previously found The link between smartphone addiction and loneliness.