Title: Tender Tinder: A study of one of the hottest dating apps and geographic location

Name: Karlie Jordan
Mentor: Joyce Kinkead

College: College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Department: English


Hometown: Lewiston, UT

Abstract:
The purpose of this project was to analyze the dating app Tinder, while paying particular attention to possible cultural differences between Utah and other states, specifically states with a similar geographical area and differing cultural values.  For this netnography and rhetorical analysis, my main focus was on comparing and contrasting pickup lines used in different settings. By taking screenshots of 50 Tinder users and their profiles, I did a rhetorical analysis of the language used in their biography to describe how users in Utah approached what is considered a sexually explicit app. My results confirmed that Utah users use the app the way it was originally designed for meeting people. The project includes data of 14 characteristics of Tinder profiles, including location, religion, pick up lines, jokes, sexual references, and hobbies.