Presented By: Research Center for Group Dynamics (RCGD)
RCGD Fall Seminar Series on the Science of Social Relationships: Tatum Jolink
Dating and relationships from a challenge and threat perspective
Tatum Jolink of the University of Michigan joins the RCGD Seminar Series on the Science of Social Relationships.
The presentation will be "Dating and relationships from a challenge and threat perspective."
Scientists still cannot predict romantic compatibility at rates higher than chance. This mystery exists in both online dating contexts and offline first dates.
In this talk, Tatum Jolink presents a new theoretical framework for conceptualizing initial romantic interactions (i.e., online matches, first dates). Specifically, she draws upon the biopsychosocial model of challenge and threat and propose that we may be able to progress the science of compatibility by considering early dating interactions as motivated performance situations. Based on the BPS model, she theorizse that when a dater’s available resources meet or exceed situational demands (i.e., challenge response) that might enhance perceived compatibility with a potential partner during an initial romantic interaction.
This talk presents preliminary data from three studies that test the framework’s core ideas. First, in two online correlational samples, 340 participants retrospectively recalled a recent first date experience; Jolink examines the association between recalled appraisals of demands and resources ahead of this first date and reported performance and perceived compatibility after the date. Then, Jolink rigorously and robustly tests this framework in the real world, using a dating app, Revel, built by relationship scientists for research purposes. In the first nine months of pilot testing, almost 1,000 participants made over 61,000 swipe decisions, which lead to over 850 matches and more than 11,000 messages. Ahead of joining Revel, participants reported their dating resources (i.e., confidence) and demands (i.e., perceived effort).
Jolink tests the hypothesis that those with challenge responses (resources>demands) will be more engaged and have greater dating success on Revel than those with threat responses (resources<demands). She explores how dating appraisals shape their dating behavior, including how often they swipe right (indicating liking), match, and chat with potential partners, as well as perceived compatibility with a match. Finally, she presents initial descriptive results (N=23) from an ongoing First Date Study, in which two people have an in-person first date in our lab. This new theoretical framework has the potential to be generative for the field of relationship initiation and yield new insights into what makes two people romantically compatible.
About the series:
Humans are social animals and from the earliest days of life, are dependent on the quality of social relationships with significant others: family, kin, friends, and a growing social network of online acquaintances. But, how do we conduct research and come to understand the social processes transpiring in these significant social connections with others? What are the consequences for individual development and mental health outcomes of having close intimate relationships in one’s life? There is also a darker side to some relationships in the form of violence, aggression, and conflict. How do we study these processes? Social media and artificial intelligence have opened up new ways of thinking about “what is a social relationship?” and how many of these “friends” can one truly have.
The speakers for this series will focus on different types of social relationships, spanning family and parent-child relationships, friendships, peer networks, romantic relationships, attachment relationships, and the use of online media to maintain social connections. Although several speakers are senior scholars with extensive research backgrounds in the field, many are junior scholars who are traversing new paths into the science of social relationships. Please join us Mondays to learn more about the exciting field of social relationships!
These events are held Mondays from 3:30 to 5.
In person: ISR Thompson 1430, unless otherwise specified.
Organized by Brenda Volling and Richard Gonzalez.
As permissions allow, seminars are later posted to our YouTube playlist.
The presentation will be "Dating and relationships from a challenge and threat perspective."
Scientists still cannot predict romantic compatibility at rates higher than chance. This mystery exists in both online dating contexts and offline first dates.
In this talk, Tatum Jolink presents a new theoretical framework for conceptualizing initial romantic interactions (i.e., online matches, first dates). Specifically, she draws upon the biopsychosocial model of challenge and threat and propose that we may be able to progress the science of compatibility by considering early dating interactions as motivated performance situations. Based on the BPS model, she theorizse that when a dater’s available resources meet or exceed situational demands (i.e., challenge response) that might enhance perceived compatibility with a potential partner during an initial romantic interaction.
This talk presents preliminary data from three studies that test the framework’s core ideas. First, in two online correlational samples, 340 participants retrospectively recalled a recent first date experience; Jolink examines the association between recalled appraisals of demands and resources ahead of this first date and reported performance and perceived compatibility after the date. Then, Jolink rigorously and robustly tests this framework in the real world, using a dating app, Revel, built by relationship scientists for research purposes. In the first nine months of pilot testing, almost 1,000 participants made over 61,000 swipe decisions, which lead to over 850 matches and more than 11,000 messages. Ahead of joining Revel, participants reported their dating resources (i.e., confidence) and demands (i.e., perceived effort).
Jolink tests the hypothesis that those with challenge responses (resources>demands) will be more engaged and have greater dating success on Revel than those with threat responses (resources<demands). She explores how dating appraisals shape their dating behavior, including how often they swipe right (indicating liking), match, and chat with potential partners, as well as perceived compatibility with a match. Finally, she presents initial descriptive results (N=23) from an ongoing First Date Study, in which two people have an in-person first date in our lab. This new theoretical framework has the potential to be generative for the field of relationship initiation and yield new insights into what makes two people romantically compatible.
About the series:
Humans are social animals and from the earliest days of life, are dependent on the quality of social relationships with significant others: family, kin, friends, and a growing social network of online acquaintances. But, how do we conduct research and come to understand the social processes transpiring in these significant social connections with others? What are the consequences for individual development and mental health outcomes of having close intimate relationships in one’s life? There is also a darker side to some relationships in the form of violence, aggression, and conflict. How do we study these processes? Social media and artificial intelligence have opened up new ways of thinking about “what is a social relationship?” and how many of these “friends” can one truly have.
The speakers for this series will focus on different types of social relationships, spanning family and parent-child relationships, friendships, peer networks, romantic relationships, attachment relationships, and the use of online media to maintain social connections. Although several speakers are senior scholars with extensive research backgrounds in the field, many are junior scholars who are traversing new paths into the science of social relationships. Please join us Mondays to learn more about the exciting field of social relationships!
These events are held Mondays from 3:30 to 5.
In person: ISR Thompson 1430, unless otherwise specified.
Organized by Brenda Volling and Richard Gonzalez.
As permissions allow, seminars are later posted to our YouTube playlist.
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