The Acceptance and Use of Dating Applications Among Thai People in Bangkok and Metropolitan Areas

Abstract

This research aimed to 1) to study the acceptance and use of dating applications using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model, and 2) to study the behavior of dating application usage among people in Bangkok and metropolitan area. The Independent Variables in the UTAUT model include Performance Expectancy, Effort Expectancy, Social Influence, and Facilitating Conditions, with gender, age, experience, and voluntariness of use as latent variables. Behavioral interion serves as mediator variable, and usage behavior is dependent variable. Data ware collected using a questionnaire distributed to 400 respondents, with an overall reliability (Cronbach’s coefficient) of 0.960. The analysis showed that the mean values () and standard deviations (S.D.) of all variables ware at a high level. The structural equation model demonstrated a strong fit with empirical data, as indicated by the following fit indices: CMIN/DF = 2.307, GFI = 0.932, AGFI = 0.903, RMSEA =0.057, SRMR = 0.031, TLI = 0.965, CFI = 0.973, และ HOELTER = 212. The hypothesis testing results revealed that the acceptance and use of dating applications among Thai users in Bangkok and its vicinity were directly influenced by social influence. Findings suggest that users accept and use dating application based on social factors, such as recommendations from friends or observing successful examples of individuals finding partners through these applications. The study also found that Tinder is the most downloaded and widely used dating application among the respondents. The key contribution of this research is to provide empirical evidence reflecting the evolving dating culture, where traditional offline interactions are increasingly replaced by online platforms. These insights can be leveraged in marketing strategies to develop new features that better align with user preferences and contemporary digital lifestyles. further development and improvement of dating applications.