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“Carouseling” Trend Becomes an Increasing Problem in Online Dating

A growing trend known as “carouseling” is becoming a problem in the dating app scene, causing a mismatch in how different users are approaching dating platforms. The term refers to the behavior of engaging in conversations with multiple matches across different platforms without committing to meaningful interactions or in-person meetings, only focusing on a specific person if they seem like a promising match.

While this is similar to the typical way of using dating apps – browsing profiles and choosing individual people to message – carouseling often sees users treating their matches as pen pals, moving on to the next conversation as soon as one becomes dull. This practice can result in superficial connections and a lack of genuine engagement, leaving many recepients frustrated or even less confident in their ability to find a match.

Experts suggest that dating apps – at least those that lean into the idea of casting a wide net to find a good match – may play a role in encouraging this behavior. Stanford psychiatry professor Elias Aboujaoude stated that “We know that dopamine is involved in many, many addictive processes, and there’s some data to ggest that it’s involved in our addiction to the screen”. This would make sense, given that being seen as desirable on a dating app can also be quite a dopamine rush.

The disconnect between user expectations adds another layer to the issue. While some prefer to take time to build rapport online, others see extended chatting without meeting as a waste of time. Some users are more interested in simply arranging meetings for in-person dates, while others want to start an entire relationship online and go from there. While these mismatches are fine on their own, carouseling widens those gaps.

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