Pathways to Marriage...Or Not: A Study on the Emotions of Dating in LDS Young Adults
Standage, Stephanie L.; Kuhlenhoelter, Melissa S.; Holman, Tomas B.
Abstract
The “Pathways To Marriage…Or Not” study was preformed to gain a greater understanding of the dating attitudes and experiences of LDS young adults while dating. It has become apparent through the course of this study that dating has changed from what it has been in the past. We have seen a greater amount of hanging out, and not as much casual dating. We have seen a lot of dissonance between what people say and what they do. We are wondering why this is. Why is it that young adults seem to have a harder time dating these days? We feel that one possible answer could be that young adults are afraid to be hurt emotionally. We have focused on the emotions that these young adults go through as they are dating. In this study we have found that the emotions felt in dating go through a cycle. A cycle we call the Cycle of Dating Emotions. We believe this cycle happens to everyone who is dating, regardless of if they are involved in a relationship or not.