The Commodification of Connection and Digitisation of Dating

Modern dating apps promise effortless connection yet often leave people feeling more disconnected than ever. My research, The Commodification of Connection and Digitisation of Dating, explores how swipe culture turns intimacy into a marketplace, where people become profiles and potential matches replace real meeting. Through a Gestalt lens, I argue that digital dating interrupts authentic contact and awareness, pulling us from presence into performance. Gestalt therapy offers a way back: by restoring embodiment, curiosity, and genuine dialogue, it helps individuals move from transactional encounters toward meaningful, felt connection, both online and in life. Read the full literature review here