Unveiling romance in categories: exploring compatibility in Tinder conversations.

This article uses membership categorization analysis to investigate the discursive practices of unacquainted, matched Tinder users in chat conversations, in the process of developing a potential romantic relationship. Drawing on data from 157 Spanish Tinder conversations, we examine the identificati...

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Publicado en:Text & Talk Vol. 46; no. 3; pp. 357 - 382
Autores principales: Roca-Cuberes, Carles, Mora-Rodriguez, Michael, Hardisson-Guimerà, Julio
Formato: Artículo
Publicado: De Gruyter May2026
Materias:
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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          Roca-Cuberes, Carles
          Mora-Rodriguez, Michael
          Hardisson-Guimerà, Julio
        affil:
          Department of Communication, Pompeu Fabra University, Roc Boronat 138, 08018, Barcelona, Spain
          Faculty of Medicine, Vic University – Central University of Catalonia, Carretera de Roda, 70, 08500, Vic, Spain
          Department of Communication, University of Barcelona, Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 585, 08007, Barcelona, Spain
      su:
        Tinder (Web resource)
        Discursive practices
        Discourse analysis
        Intimacy (Psychology)
        Conversation
        Romantic love
      sug:
        subj:
          Tinder (Web resource)
          Discursive practices
          Discourse analysis
          Intimacy (Psychology)
          Conversation
          Romantic love
      keyword:
        conversation analysis
        intimacy
        membership categorization analysis
        romantic relationship
        Tinder
      ab: This article uses membership categorization analysis to investigate the discursive practices of unacquainted, matched Tinder users in chat conversations, in the process of developing a potential romantic relationship. Drawing on data from 157 Spanish Tinder conversations, we examine the identification work performed by the matched Tinder users to get acquainted and explore their compatibility. The analysis shows that in order to identify their matches and explore their compatibility, the Tinder users ask questions that invite their recipients to categorize themselves with respect to various membership categorization devices or categories, and the responses reveal the specific categories from these devices with which the recipients identify. Co-membership in the invoked categories is typically positively received by both parties and is understood to signal compatibility. Progress in the process of exploration is conducive to relational intimacy and is also understood to signal progress in the development of a potential romantic relationship. We conclude by observing that relationships are ongoing everyday accomplishments formed on the basis of much categorization work. The data are in Spanish and Italian with English translations.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype: Article
      src: R
    language: English
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