Factors Affecting Intention to Use Online Dating Sites in Malaysia

  • Authors

    • Syed Shah Alam
    • Md. Rabiul Islam
    • Zafir Khan Mohd Mokhbul
    • Nurkhalida Binti Makmor
    2018-11-30
    https://doi.org/10.14419/ijet.v7i4.28.22578
  • Online dating communities have great market potential; therefore, understanding the perceptions of young generation of the factors influencing their intention to use such site is vital. This research examined five key dimensions of intention to use online dating communities in Malaysia based on some information system theories. Research model for this study was developed based on the literature on information system research. This study was adopted convenient sampling of non-probability sampling procedure. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaire and multiple linear regression was used to analyze data. The findings of the study show that word-of-mouth, attitude, perceived enjoyment and perceived playfulness are key determinants of young adults’ intention to use online dating sites. However, there is no significant relationship between trust and intention to use online dating sites. This research can serve as a starting point for online dating research, while encouraging further exploration and integration addition adoption constructs. Other business agencies should create better awareness of the usage of online dating sites. As Malaysian are choosing their own pair for their family life, so this finding gives some insight to the young generation of Malaysia to focus on finding their own partners from online sites.

  • References

    1. [1] Eifrem, E (2016). The surprising lessons retailers can learn from online dating sites, Chain Store Age, available at. http://www.chainstoreage.com/article/surprising-lessons-retailers-can-learn-online-dating-sites#, date 19th October 2017.

      [2] Cohen, C. (2014). Online dating is on the march. Available at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/predictions/gender/11308655/online-dating.html, (access 03 September 2017).

      [3] Seitz, P. (2014). Online Dating Leader IAC may hood up even more users, available at http://news.investors.com/technology-click/042814-698678-match-okcupid-parent-expected-to-gain-market-share.htm, dated 05-02-2017

      [4] Spaulding, T.J. 2010. How can virtual communities create value for business?
      Electronic Commerce Research and Applications, 9(1), 38-49

      [5] Hencock, J.T., Toma, C. and Ellison, N. 2007. The truth about Lying in Online Dating Profiles, CHI 2007 Proceedings, Online Representation of Self, April 28-May 3, 2007, San Jose, CA, USA. 449-452.

      [6] Wellman, B. and Haythornthwaite, C. 2002. The Internet in Everyday Life: An Introduction, Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, Fall 2002

      [7] Wellman, B. 2001. Physical place and cyber place: The rise of personalized networking. International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 25(2), 227-252.

      [8] Grey Review (2012) Latest estimates of facebook users by country (Q1, 2011) Available at:

      http://www.greyreview.com/2011/04/05/latest-estimates-for-facebook-users-by-country-asia-quarter-1-2011/ (Access 10 March 2017)

      [9] Wysocki, D. K. 1998. Let Your Fingers do the Talking: Sex on an Adult Chat-line. Sexualities, 1 (4), 425-452

      [10] Walther, J. B. [9] 1996. Computer-mediated communication: Impersonal, interpersonal, and hyperpersonal interaction. Communication Research, 23 (1), 3-44.

      [11] Whitty, M.T. 2003. Cyber-Flirting: Playing at Love on the Internet. Theory & Psychology, 13 (3), 339-357.

      [12] Blair, C., 1998. Netsex: empowerment through discourse. In: Ebo, B., Editor, 1998. Cyberghetto of Cybertopia? Race, Class and Gender on the Internet, Praeger, Westport, CT, pp. 205–217.

      [13] Hardie, E. and Buzwell, S. 2006. Finding Love Online: The Nature and Frequency of Australian Adults’ Internet Relationships. Australian Journal of Emerging Technologies & Society, 4 (1), 1-14.

      [14] Aron, A. (2012). Online Dating: A Critical Analysis from the Perspective of Psychological Science, Psychological Science in the Public Interest. 13(1), 1-2.

      [15] E.J. Finkel, P.W. Eastwick, B. R. Karney, S. Sprecher, Online Dating: A Critical Analysis from the Perspective of Psychological Science, Psychological Science in the Public Interest 13(1):3-66

      [16] Madden, M. and Lenhart, A. 2006. Online Dating, Pew Internet and American Life Project, March 5, 2006. Washington, DC.

      [17] Hitsch, G. J. Hortaçsu, A. and Ariely, D. 2006. What Makes You Click? — Mate Preferences and Matching Outcomes in Online Dating, Social Science Research Network, 10 (1), 1-7.

      [18] Donn, J.E. and Sherman, R.C. 2002. Attitudes and Practices Regarding the Formation of Romantic Relationships on the Internet, CyberPsychology and Behavior 5 (2), 107–23.

      [19] Bibi, A., Bukhari, S., Sami, A., Irfan, A., Liaqaut, H. (2018). Effect of Latest Technology and Social Media on Interpersonal Communication on Youth of Balochistan. Journal of Managerial Sciences, XI (3), 475- 490

      [20] Shore, B., 1998. IT Strategy: The Challenge of over-regulation, culture, and large scale collaborations, Journal of Global Information Technology Management, 1(1): 1-4.

      [21] Spanos, Y.E., G.P. Prastacos and A. Poulymenakou, 2002. The relationship between information and communication technologies adoption and management, Information and Management, 39: 659-675.

      [22] Dewan, S. and K.L. Kraemer, 2000. Information technology and productivity: Preliminary evidence fromcountry-level data, Management Science, 46(4): 548-562.

      [23] Molla, A. and P.S. Licker, 2005a. eCommerce adoption in developing countries: a model and instrument, Information & Management, 42: 877-899.

      [24] Molla, A. and P.S. Licker, 2005b. Perceived E-Readiness factors in E-Commerce adoption: am empirical investigation in a developing country, International Journal of Electronic Commerce, 10(1): 83-110.

      [25] Agarwal, R. and J. Prasad, 1997. The Role of Innovation Characteristics and Perceived Voluntariness in the Acceptance of Information Technologies, Decision Sciences, 28(.3): 557-582.

      [26] Rogers, E.M., 1995. The Diffusion of Innovations, Free Press, N.Y. New York.

      [27] Moore, G.C. and I. Benbasat, 1991. Development of an instrument to measure the perceptions adopting an information technology innovation, Information Systems Research, 2(3): 173-191.

      [28] Ajzen, I. and M. Fishbein, 1985. The prediction of Behavior from attitudinal and normative variables. Journal of experimental social Psychology, 466-488.

      [29] Ajzen, I. 1991. The Theory of Planned Behavior, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50 (2), 179-211.

      [30] Davis, F., 1989. Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and user acceptance of information technology, MIS Quarterly, September, 13(3): 319-340.

      [31] Davis, F. D., Bagozzi, R. P. & Warshaw, P. R. (1992) Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivation to Use Computers in the Workplace. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 22 (14), 1111-1132.

      [32] Alam, S. S., Ali, M. Y. and Jani, M. F. (2011a). An Empirical Study of Factors Affecting Electronic Commerce Adoption Among SMEs in Malaysia, Journal of Business Economics and Management, 12(2): 375–399.

      [33] Alam, S. S., Omar, N. A. and Hashim, M. N. H. N. (2011b). Applying the Theory of Perceived Characteristics of Innovating (PCI) on ICT Adoption in the SMEs in Malaysia, Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 5(8): 8-17, 2011.

      [34] Alam, S. S., Ahmad, A., Mhd. Suhaimi Ahmad, M. S. and Hashim, M. N. H. N. (2011c). An Empirical Study of an Extended Theory of Planned Behaviour Model for Pirated Software Purchase, World Journal of Management 3 (1). 124-133.

      [35] Lu, C. T., Huang, S. Y. and Lo, P. Y. (2010). An empirical study of on-line tax filing acceptance model: Integrating TAM and TPB, African Journal of Business Management Vol. 4(5), pp. 800-810.

      [36] Zarrad H and Debabi M. (2015). Analyzing the Effect of Electronic Word of Mouth on Tourists’ attitude toward Destination and Travel Intention, International Research Journal of Social Sciences, 4(4), 53-60.

      [37] Lu, Y., Zhao, L., Wang, B. 2010. From virtual community members to C2C e-commerce buyers: Trust in virtual communities and its effect on consumers’ purchase intention. Electronic Commerce Research and Applications, 9(4), 346-360.

      [38] Blythe, M. A., Overbeeke, K., Monk, A. F. & Wright, P. C. (Eds.) (2003) Funology: From Usability to Enjoyment Klumer Academic Publishers, Netherlands.

      [39] Lu, Y., Zhou, T. & Wang, B. (2008) Exploring Chinese Users' Acceptance of Instant Messaging Using the Theory of Planned Behavior, the Technology Acceptance Model, and the Flow Theory. Computers in Human Behavior, 6 (2), 1-11.

      [40] Moon, J. W. and Kim, Y. G. 2001. Extending the TAM for a World-Wide-Web context, Information & Management, 38 (4), 217–230.

      [41] Gefen, D., Karahanna, E., and Straub, D. W. (2003). "Trust and TAM in Online Shopping: An Integrated Model." MIS Quarterly, 27(1), 51-90.

      [42] McKnight, D. H., Choudhury, V., and Kacmar, C. (2002). "Developing and validating trust measures for e-commerce: An integrative typology." Information Systems Research, 13(3), 334-359.

      [43] Lien, C. H. and Cao, Y. (2014). Examining WeChat users’motivations, trust, attitudes, and positive word-of-mouth: Evidence from China, Computers in Human Behavior, 41 (2014) 104–111.[44] Brown, J., Broderick, A. J., & Lee, N. (2007). Word of mouth communication within online communities: Conceptualizing the online social network. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 21(3), 2–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/dir.20082[45] Chu, S. C., & Kim, Y. (2011). Determinants of consumer engagement in electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) in social networking site. International Journal of Advertising, 30(1), 47–75. http://dx.doi.org/10.2501/IJA-30-1-047-075.[46] Maxham, J. G. (2001). Service recovery’s influence on consumer satisfaction, positive word-of-mouth, and purchase intentions. Journal of Business Research, 54(1), 11–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0148-2963(00)00114-4.[47] Chu, S. C., & Choi, S. M. (2011). Electronic word-of-mouth in social networking site: A cross-cultural study of the United States and China. Journal of Global Marketing, 24(1), 263–281. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08911762.2011.592461.

      [48] Kraus S.J., Attitudes and the prediction of behavior: a meta-analysis of the empirical literature, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 21(1), 58-75 (1995)

      [49] Dennis C (2009) E-consumer behaviour. European Journal of Marketing 43: 1121-1139.

      [50] Trafimow D, Finlay KA (1996). The importance of subjective norms for a minority of people: Between subjects and within-subjects analyses. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 22: 820-828.

      [51] Novak, T. P., Hoffman, D. L. & Yung, Y.-F. (2000) Measuring the Customer Experience in Online Environments: A Structural Modeling Approach. Marketing Science, 19 (Winter), 22-42.

      [52] Pavlou, P. A. (2002). "Institution-based trust in interorganizational exchange relationships: the role of online B2B marketplaces on trust formation." The Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 11(3-4), 215-243.

      [53] Kim, W. C., & Mauborgne, R. A. 1993. Procedural justice, attitudes, and subsidiary top management compliance with multinationals’ corporate strategic decisions. Academy of Management Journal, 36: 502– 526.

      [54] McAllister, D. J. 1995. Affect- and cognition-based trust as foundations for interpersonal cooperation in organizations. Academy of Management Journal, 38: 24 –59.

      [55] Mayer, R. C., Davis, J. H., and Schoorman, F. D. (1995). "An Integrative Model of Organizational Trust." Academy of Management Review, 20(3), 709-734.

      [56] Esmaili, E., Desa, M. I., Moradi, H. and Hemmati, A (2011). The Role of Trust and Other Behavioral Intention Determinants on Intention toward Using Internet Banking, International Journal of Innovation, Management and Technology, Vol. 2, No. 1, 95-100.

      [57] Alam, S. S. and Norjaya, M. Y. 2010a. What factors influence online brand trust: evidence from online tickets buyers in Malaysia, Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, 5 (3), 78-89.

      [58] Alam, S. S. and Norjaya, M. Y. 2010b. The Antecedents of Online Brand Trust: Malaysian Evidence, Journal of Business Economics and Management, 11 (2), 210–226.

      [59] Armitage, C.J. and Conner, M. 2001. Efficacy of theory of planned behavior: a meta-analysis review, British Journal of Social Psychology, 40, 471-99.

      [60] Bruner II, G..C., and Kumar A. 2005. Explaining consumer acceptance of hand-held Internet devices, Journal of Business Research, 58 (5), 553-558.

      [61] van der Heijden, H. 2003. Factors influencing the usage of websites: The case of a generic portal in the Netherlands, Information & Management, 40 (6), 541-549.

      [62] Venkatesh, V., Thong, J.Y.L., & Xu, X. 2012. Consumer acceptance and use of information technology: extending the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology. MIS Quarterly, 36 (1), 157-178.

      [63] Teo, T. S. H and Lim, R. Y. C. 1999. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in Internet usage. OMEGA: International Journal of management Science, 27, 25-37.

      [64] Turban, E., King, D., Lee, J., Liang, T.P. and Turban, D. (2010) Electronic Commerce 2010 A Managerial Perspective. 6th Global Edition. Pearson.

      [65] Interdesly 2012. Malaysia Facebook statistics, user distribution. Available at: http://iterdesly.info/malaysia-facebook-statistic-user-distributions/ (Accessed 10 March 2017)

      [66] Sorce, P., Perotti, V. and Widrick, S. 2005. ‘Attitude and age differences in online buying’, International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, vol. 33, no. 2, pp. 122-132.

      [67] Ellison, N. B., Steinfield, C. and Lampe, C. 2007. The benefits of Facebook friends’: Exploring the relationship between college students’ use of online social networks and social capital, Journal of Computer-mediated Communication, 12, 1143–1168.

      [68] Wiley, C., and Sisson, M. 2006. Ethics, accuracy and assumption: The use of Facebook by students and employers, Paper presented at the Southwestern Ohio Council for Higher Education Special Topics Forum, Dayton, OH.

      [69] Maxham, J. G. and Netemeyer, R. G. 2002. A longitudinal study of complaining customers’ evaluations of multiple service failures and recovery Efforts, Journal of Marketing, 66, 57-71.

      [70] Nunnally, J. C. 1978. Psychometric Theory (2nd ed.), McGraw-Hill, New York, NY, 85-94.

      [71] Norman, G. R. and Streiner, D. L. 1994. Biostatistics: The Bare Essentials, Mosby-Year Book. St Louis, MO.

      [72] Kleinbaum, D. G., Kupper, L. L., and Muller, K. E. 1988. Applied Regression Analysis and Other Multivariate Methods, Boston: PWS.

      [73] Hair, J. F., Anderson, R. E., Tatham R. L., and Black, W. C. 1998. Multivariate Data Analysis 5th Edition, California: Prentice-Hall International Inc.

      [74] Ellison, N. Heino, R. and Gibbs, J. 2006. Managing impressions online: Self-presentation processes in the online dating environment. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 11(2).

      [75] Jacobson, D. 1999. Impression Formation in Cyberspace: Online Expectations and Offline Experiences in Text-based Virtual Communities Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 5(1): http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol5/issue1/jacobson.html (Accessed 10 March 2017).

      [76] Chapman, L. (2000). Distance learning for post-registered nursing: the facts, Nursing Standard, 14(18), pp.33-36

      [77] Davis, F.D. (1993). User acceptance of information technology: system charactics, user perceptions and behavioural impacts, International Journal of Man Machine Studies, 38(3), pp. 475-487.

      [78] Wu, I. and Chen, J. (2005). An extension of trust and TAM model with TPB in the initial adoption of on-line tax: an empirical study, International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 62, pp. 784-808.

      [79] Alam, S. S., Yeow, P.H.P. and Loo, H. S. 2011. An Empirical Study on Online Social Networks Sites Usage: Online Dating Sites Perspective, International Journal of Business and Management, 6 (10), 155-161.

      [80] Lee, Y., Kwon, O. 2011. Intimacy, familiarity and continuance intention: An extended expectation–confirmation model in web-based services. Electronic Commerce Research and Applications, 10(3), 342-357.

  • Downloads

  • How to Cite

    Alam, S. S., Islam, M. R., Mokhbul, Z. K. M., & Makmor, N. B. (2018). Factors Affecting Intention to Use Online Dating Sites in Malaysia. International Journal of Engineering & Technology, 7(4.28), 192-198. https://doi.org/10.14419/ijet.v7i4.28.22578