Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Find Me a Mate: A Cultural Examination of a Virtual Community of Single Mormons

Abstract

Cyberspace constitutes a place where people can build personal relationships and share norms or expectations that are meaningful and real for them (Paccagnella, 2002). Rooted in the social constructivist tradition (Berger & Luckmann, 1966), this study examines the role of religiosity and the Internet in the discursive strategies of single Mormons seeking relationships on the Web. The findings add to the literature addressing both virtual and religious communities by demonstrating how a virtual community is built and sustained by the religious discourse of its members.