交友软件是一类在线交友应用程序，它依托于移动通信设备，为用户提供结识陌生人的交友服务。在中国，大量用户正在使用交友软件，陌陌、Soul、探探等9款软件的用户数总量高达15.8亿人次。交友双方两情相悦固然是两人亲密关系发展前提，但光有情愫需求却不足以发展为一段感情，“媒”在这之中发挥着重要作用，正如《诗·卫风·氓》中所言：“匪我愆期，子无良媒”。但问题在于，素昧平生之人何以在交友软件的连接下成为朋友甚至恋人？交友软件在陌生人亲密关系建构过程中究竟发挥了何种作用？

为回答上述问题，本研究从社会渗透理论与强弱关系理论出发，将自我表露作为亲密关系建立的核心要素，将亲密关系的建构视作弱关系、强关系建立与维系的过程以展开分析，旨在探究交友软件在连接良性亲密关系上的正向价值。为深入分析交友软件中陌生人交友的具体情景，文章采用网络民族志与半结构访谈法，以软件Soul为例展开研究。

研究发现，在交友软件的连接下，互不相识的网络陌生人在软件中成为潜关系对象，并在算法推荐、聊天辅助等软件功能的帮助下建立弱关系。弱关系阶段，抖音、豆瓣、网易云音乐等应用成为交友软件静态自我表露的媒介延伸，用户借助此类延伸软件进一步向对方表露自己在音乐、艺术等方面的兴趣偏好，并在此过程中欣赏对方的理想形象。在弱关系向强关系上升的前夕，渴望建立依赖与互信的用户对“真诚”与“真实”产生强烈要求，用户通过共享时间以感知“真诚”，并试图打破理想形象以感知“真实”。强关系阶段，大部分强关系用户会转移至微信、QQ等综合通讯工具，通过转账、共享电影、文件分享、关联游戏账号等方式寻求更多情感陪伴与时间共享，更多介入对方的现实生活，而少部分用户会留在交友软件，通过“热聊字母”“共享空间”等数字亲密符号的获取与炫耀，反身性确认彼此的亲密关系。

在亲密关系建构过程中，交友软件的作用首先表现为对陌生用户的连接；其二，表现为对网络交友环境的营造，在推荐算法、话题推荐等功能支持下降低用户交友难度；其三，表现为对用户自我表露的形塑，软件用户一定程度上得以脱离社会现实的束缚，以“更率真”“更从容”“更深入”“更可控”的方式表露自我；其四，表现为对社会渗透进程的加速，交友软件中的社会渗透可如长钉扎入洋葱般迅速、深入，使交往双方的亲密关系能在短时间内快速升温；其五，表现为数字亲密符号的生产，软件中制造的“热聊字母”“共享空间”等具化数字符号成为交友双方亲密关系的追求目标，为用户恋爱关系提供证明。

Dating apps are a type of online dating application that relies on mobile communication devices to provide users with dating services to meet strangers. In China, a large number of users are using dating apps, with a total of 1.58 billion user sessions for 9 apps such as Momo, Soul, and Tantan. While mutual affection is a prerequisite for developing an intimate relationship, it is not enough to develop a lasting bond. "Media," as the "The Book of Songs" says, "You have no go-between." The question is, how do strangers connect and become friends or even lovers through dating apps? What role do dating apps play in the process of building intimate relationships?

To answer these questions, this study starts from the social penetration theory and the theory of strong and weak relationships. It regards the depth of self-disclosure as the core element of establishing intimate relationships and views the process of relationship building as a progression from weak to strong relationships. To delve into the specific scenarios of networking when using dating apps, this study selects Soul as a case study and conducts research using netnography and semi-structured interviews.

The study found that under the connection of dating apps, network strangers who do not know each other become potential relationship objects on the app and establish weak relationships with the help of app functions such as algorithm recommendations and chat assistance. At the weak relationship stage, apps such as TikTok, Douban, and NetEase Cloud Music become mediums of static self-disclosure, through which users further express their interests and preferences in music, art, and other areas, and perceive the ideal image of the other person. On the eve of the transition from weak to strong relationships, users who crave dependency and mutual trust have a strong demand for "sincerity" and "authenticity." Users perceive "sincerity" by sharing time with each other and attempt to break the ideal image to perceive "authenticity." In the strong relationship stage, most strong relationship users will switch to more complex communication tools such as WeChat and QQ to seek more emotional companionship and time sharing. They will also involve themselves more in each other's real life. A small number of users will stay on the dating app and use digital intimate symbols such as "hot chat letters" and "shared space" to confirm their intimate relationship through reflexivity.

In the process of building intimate relationships, the role of dating apps is first and foremost to connect strangers. Secondly, they create a network environment for socializing, which reduces the difficulty of making friends with the support of recommendation algorithms and topic recommendations. Thirdly, they shape users' self-disclosure, allowing users to express themselves in a "more genuine," "more confident," "more in-depth," and "more controllable" way to a certain extent, freeing them from the constraints of social reality. Fourthly, they change the process of social penetration. The social penetration process in dating apps can quickly penetrate into the core of self-disclosure like a nail into an onion. Fifthly, they produce digital intimate symbols. The "hot chat letters" and "shared space" created in the app become the pursuit goal of the intimate relationship between the two users and provide users with reflexivity confirmation of their romantic relationship.