Thesis (BA Communication Arts) -- University of the Philippines Mindanao, 2019

Online dating, specifically within the context of Tinder, involves a highly dynamic and reflexive process in employing communicative strategies such as information-seeking to manage and reduce one's uncertainty in developing relationships about potential acquaintances. This study, then looked into the users uncertainty management strategies inside Tinder by analyzing user's uncertainty perception/s that are facilitated by different factors such as; Tinder user's level of attraction, user's purpose, and user's duration of engagement. It also investigated the Tinder user's uncertainty appraisal or emotions with their Tinder matches as it explored the different types of information-seeking behaviors executed during the interaction. The results confirmed that one's Level of Attraction affects an individual's uncertainty appraisal as it gives a positive emotion that makes the individual want to seek more information about his or her tinder match. The same goes with how many hours the user has spent on using Tinder that was found significant with one's uncertainty appraisal. It revealed that as the user gets lore engaged with their Tinder match, it involves in creating more interactions that therefore manages one's uncertainty. It was also important to note how the results offered insights between the Tinder user's uncertainty appraisal and its significance with one's information-seeking behavior. Understanding the possible relationships between appraisal and behaviors employed in Tinder would help advance the understanding regarding Uncertainty Management Theory. This research may give way to new knowledge regarding online relationships building and interactions, especially with its subject being studied in the Philippine context.