Tinder-Ly Yours: An Exploratory Study of Malaysian Indian Youths Online Dating Through The Culture

Authors

  • Lishalini Chandrasekaran Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman
  • Sharon Jacqueline Wilson Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman
  • Swagata Sinha Roy Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman

Abstract

The pandemic has shifted the way we meet new people and thus, changed the concept of going on a date. With the sporadic and growing rates of Covid-19 cases, it may be difficult to find a relationship and maintain one while exercising social-distance. As we adjusted to this temporary reality, the dating sphere continued reinvent ways to connect people. “Today”, more Indian Malaysian youths have increased their presence on dating apps in search of love and intimacy despite their “traditional” Indian courtship practices. The main thrust of this study is to examine why the smartphone application ‘Tinder’ is increasingly popular among Malaysian Indian youth and to investigate why and how the youth use Tinder during this pandemic. The Uses and Gratifications Theory (U&G) holds major assumptions that individuals are active, rational, and objective, to the extent of being almost goal-oriented in their choices. This study conducted 30 in-depth, semi-structured interviews via convenience and snowball sampling found that online dating behaviour has the potential to help scholars have deeper understanding of how the Tinder mobile application integrated with existing religions and cultures gives insights into the nature of technological change as well as adaptation in society. This is by providing new insights into existing interpersonal communication theories focusing on relationship formation. Keywords: Courtships, Cultural studies, Indian, Tinder, Youth. https://doi.org/10.17576/JKMJC-2022-3803-08

Author Biographies

Lishalini Chandrasekaran, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman

Lishalini Chandrasekaran, is a postgraduate student at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia. In the year 2020, Lishalini Chandrasekaran graduated from Universiti tunku Abdul Rahman with a Bachelor of Corporate Communication (Honors) degree. She is currently employed in the Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur Hotel in the capacity of Marketing Communication Executive. Her current research interests encompass a variety of subjects, including communication, cultural studies, and the media. Her excitement at the rapid development of technology in the field of communication is the source of her interest in the aforementioned subjects. Her unwavering dedication to learning new things and following her passion have brought her to the top of her field in both academia and industry. Email: lishalinic@yahoo.com

Sharon Jacqueline Wilson, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman

Dr. Sharon Jacqueline Wilson, is an assistant professor at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia. Dr Sharon Wilson holds a Ph.D. in Communication from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and received her BA in Translation and Interpretation and a Master’s in Communication from Universiti Sains Malaysia. She has been a Scholar of the Study of the United States Institutes’ Journalism and Media Program (SUSI) at Ohio University and a Fellow of the Summer Institute for Asia Fellows in News Literacy Program in Hong Kong. In 2020 she received the first place in the ICD teaching competition. Her research focuses on media, crime and society and woman and identity. Currently, she chairs the Center for Media and Communication Research (CMCR) at University Tunku Abdul Rahman. Email: sharon@utar.edu.my

Swagata Sinha Roy, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman

Dr. Swagata Sinha Roy, is an assistant professor at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia. Dr Swagata Sinha Roy is with the Department of Modern Languages, Faculty of Creative Industries, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), Malaysia. Dr Swagata Sinha Roy holds a Bachelor’s degree in English (Hons) from Delhi University, receiving her subsequent degrees (Master’s (English), M.Phil (African Literature) and PhD(Malaysian Literature) from Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, Her research interests include literatures of the diaspora, movie adaptations of literary works and cultural studies, adapted fairy tales, legends, myths and book club circles. Email: swagata@utar.edu.my

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Published

2022-09-30

Issue

Vol. 38 No. 3 (2022)

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