The main theme of this master’s thesis is self-representation and perception of others on a dating app called Tinder. The basis of my research is Erving Goffman’s theory, in which the representation of oneself and others is placed in a dramaturgical perspective. The main idea of his theory is that the world is a stage and we are its performers. Goffman developed this theory in 1959, but it can still be applied to the modern world and Tinder, and how users self-represent and perceive others are both important aspects of the app. Tinder users want to make the best possible first impression to reach their desired goal or get as close as possible to it. In the thesis, I combined the following three methods of investigation–observation with participation, interview, and survey, and then tried to outline the general situation of how people present themselves and how they perceive others on Tinder. In addition, I also focused on some problems users of Tinder face, namely, frustration, superficial relationships, abuse, and others. These problems have proven to be very important during the research as they influence self-representation as well as the perception of others. Throughout the thesis, I tried to intertwine my personal experience of using Tinder and add as many first-person accounts and opinions as possible.
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