Researchers have called for a better understanding of the differing motivations of dating app users. Whereas these have been described for Tinder, Grinder and Hinge in the Anglosphere, no research examples could be found for Indian users of Bumble. In response, this paper's pathfinder study helps close the gap by developing a Bumble motivation scale. Six primary motivations for using Bumble were identified through the exploratory factor analysis: Love, Socialisation, Ease of communication, Distraction, Trendiness, and Sexual experience. Notably, socialisation and love motivations emerged as more significant drivers for Bumble usage than sexual experiences, which contrasted with prior findings on dating apps. Additionally, age and biological sex differences were observed in the motivations reported by the participants. Men were more likely to use Bumble for sexual experiences, while women were more motivated by ease of communication. Furthermore, age was found to positively relate to motivations linked to love, distraction, trendiness, and sexual experiences. Moreover, the motivations of Love, socialisation, and trendiness were found to positively predict the frequency of Bumble usage. Among these motivations, Love, socialisation, and trendiness emerged as significant predictors of offline dating behaviour among the participants. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the factors influencing the adoption and engagement with Bumble among emerging adults in India. The implications of these findings may aid in refining dating app features and marketing strategies targeted at this specific demographic.
Keywords: Bumble; Dating; Emerging adulthood; Motivations; Online dating; Uses and gratifications.
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