How dating app algorithms are changing the way people meet
ASU researcher brings insights on online dating to public audience
Liesel Sharabi, associate professor in the Hugh Downs School of Human Communication. Courtesy photo
The rise of online dating has transformed how people form relationships, raising new questions about the role algorithms play in shaping human connection.
Liesel Sharabi, associate professor in the Hugh Downs School of Human Communication at Arizona State University, spoke at the Arizona Science Center as part of its Science With a TWIST event about how dating apps use algorithms to introduce potential partners and what those systems can and cannot reveal about compatibility.
Sharabi, a relationship scientist who studies mate selection and relationship initiation, focuses on how communication technologies influence the earliest stages of romantic connection. Her talk, titled “The Algorithm of Love,” explored how dating platforms shape who people meet and how relationships begin.
Her work more broadly examines how technology is reshaping modern relationships, including how people meet and connect through digital platforms.
“Online dating is the single most common way people meet, which means they are increasingly being introduced by algorithms,” Sharabi said.
While many users assume that dating apps can accurately predict compatibility, Sharabi challenged that idea, noting that the science behind compatibility is far more complex than matching profiles or shared preferences.
“It’s a myth that dating app algorithms know the secret to compatibility,” she said.
Instead, Sharabi explained that these systems are better understood as tools that shape who people encounter rather than definitive guides to long-term relationship success. Algorithms influence introductions by filtering and prioritizing potential matches, but they cannot account for the dynamic, interpersonal processes that unfold once people meet.
Her research also highlights how user expectations play a role in online dating outcomes. When people believe they are highly compatible with a match, they may approach interactions more positively, which can influence how connections develop. Sharabi emphasized that while algorithms are now central to how relationships begin, they do not determine how those relationships evolve over time.
Her lecture at the Arizona Science Center takes communication research beyond the classroom, helping broader audiences understand how emerging technologies influence everyday interactions.