Swipe Right for Love: Communication Professor Decodes the Algorithms of Modern Romance

Swipe Right for Love: Communication Professor Decodes the Algorithms of Modern Romance

Valentine's Day is Saturday, and for many, the path to romance no longer begins with the trope of a coffee shop meetup or a setup by a mutual friend. It starts with an algorithm, a swipe and then a notification.

Navigating the digital jungle of "ghosting," "breadcrumbing" and "catfishing" can feel overwhelming for those on the path to finding their significant other. Dr. Tasha Dunn is here to help.

Dunn, an associate professor in the Department of Communication and Media at UToledo, focuses her expertise on the intersection of interpersonal communication and media studies.

She has published award-winning research on how we navigate relationships through digital means, including the "dark side" of Snapchat and how we narrate our lives online, and her popular UToledo course, "Modern Dating: Technology and the Transformation of Human Connection," explores how technology has fundamentally rewritten the longstanding rules of courtship.

Dunn isn't teaching "Modern Dating" this semester, but she is preparing for its return this fall.

In the course, students can expect to engage in a "Shark Tank"-style project where they pitch concepts for new dating apps that solve modern problems, like "Promptly," an app designed to get users off their phones and onto real dates, or "Chameleon," which prioritizes personality over photos.

Students will also conduct "happily-ever-after" interviews with couples who met online, analyzing what made those relationships succeed, where others failed.

Dunn's passion for matchmaking started long before she entered academia.

"I was a theater kid growing up and my first big role was Dolly Levi in 'Hello, Dolly!' - a professional meddler and matchmaker extraordinaire," Dunn said. "If I weren't a professor, I would absolutely be a dating coach, helping folks smoothly and healthily navigate the continually evolving and often challenging terrain of modern dating.

"I love love - I always have," she added. "I am a sucker for a good love story, and when I get to be part of that story, it's even better."

For those wanting a crash course now on how to survive the Valentine's season online, she offers these tips:

The Paradox of Choice

If dating feels harder today than it did for previous generations, it isn't just your imagination. It's math.

Dunn said that modern daters are often confronted by the "Paradox of Choice" - the concept that an abundance of options leads to anxiety rather than satisfaction.

"In the context of modern dating, a few taps on a smartphone can immerse users in an ocean of romantic possibilities that initially feels exciting but often becomes overwhelming," she said. "This leads to 'decision fatigue,' or 'analysis paralysis.' Rather than increasing satisfaction, an abundance of choices often exhausts individuals, leading them to delay or avoid making a decision altogether."

This creates specific dating archetypes that Dunn discusses in her class: the "hesitator," someone who avoids dating until they feel they are "ready," even though they never fully are, and the "maximizer," someone who is terrified to settle because a "better" option might be just one swipe away.

Hacking the Algorithm

For those stuck in the swipe cycle, Dunn offers research-backed strategies to improve your "digital well-being" and your odds of finding a match.

Her first piece of advice? Stop trying to filter for perfection; instead, loosen the restrictions on your settings and change your mindset when viewing profiles.

"Dating apps make it easy to filter possibilities out before they ever have a chance," Dunn said. "In the physical world, we often connect with people who aren't initially our 'type,' and those unexpected encounters can turn into meaningful relationships. Dating apps never give you the chance to be proven wrong.

"As you evaluate potential matches, look for what's attractive, rather than what's not. Look for reasons to say yes. Put yourself in a position to be surprised."

A Valentine's Reality Check

Whether you are single, partnered or "it's complicated," Dunn said Valentine's Day offers a timely reminder that love isn't just about finding the right person: it's about communicating intentionally.

For those already in relationships, she suggests practicing "digital well-being" by making the relationship visible online (a digital signal of commitment) and putting the phone away when you are together.

And for those who are still searching?

"My hope is that students' pursuits of love, should they choose to embark on them, are not only well-informed, but also easier to navigate and ultimately more fulfilling," Dunn said.

Dunn will teach COMM 3770: Modern Dating in fall semester. The course is open to all students interested in the science, history and future of human connection.