BRISBANE — Dating apps are an extremely popular way to socialize and pick up others these days, but recent research suggests they might actually lead people to lower their standards as well.
According to researchers at the Queensland University of Technology in Australia, singles tend to have a clear idea as to what’s on their dating wish lists, but are actually more likely to go out with people they met online who don’t actually meet those requirements.
Behavioral economists Stephen Whyte and Professor Benno Torgler were behind the research published as “Preference vs Choice in Online Dating” in the journal Cyberpsychology, Behaviour and Social Networking. They watched the behavior of nearly 42,000 people between the ages of 18 and 80 who were using an Australian dating site called “RSVP” from Jan. 2016 through April 2016. About 78 percent of the participants were men.
Whyte explained the intentions of the study.
“We looked at whether or not people actually contact people who match what they say is their ideal partner in their profile, and our findings show they don’t,” he says in a university release. “Stating a preference for what you are looking for appears to have little to no bearing on the characteristics of people you actually contact.”
Participants’ “wish lists” were comprised of seven categories for an ideal mate: hair color, eye color, body type, education level, personality type, political view, and religious affiliation. The authors determined that instead of searching until they found someone who met their dating wish list criteria, participants were likely to communicate with people who had only some of those characteristics.
In fact, the study showed that more than 65 percent of the contacts the participants made with potential dates on the site had one or less category that matched their wish list. About one in three contacts had zero matching attributes.
“Disclosure of ‘ideal’ partner preferences is a widely offered and commonly-used option for people creating a profile on online dating websites, but whether it’s effective or useful in helping people find that special someone is unclear,” says Whyte. “This study provides quite unique findings in that people may state a preference for an ideal partner but they are more than happy to initiate contact with potential love interests that bear no resemblance whatsoever to that ‘Mr or Mrs Perfect’ they initially think they prefer over all others.”
In addition to their main findings, the authors also noted that men tended to be more open-minded than female in contacting potential mates with fewer matches — except for men in their 60s or older, who were more selective.
The study is limited in the sense though, that it’s hard to say how many people hold out for their perfect person when socializing in real life as opposed to online.
If you move the meet from online to flesh you have invested a certain amount of time. It’s easy to wish for something as you sit on your bottom. 😉
If you meet somebody in person, there are a lot more than 7 attributes you’ll notice. In online dating you get only 7, so you’ll project the other 258 attributes into that date. You simply can’t be that picky on the net.
LOL No, their standards were already low just online dating exposed them to public!
Does this conclusion consider that someone who ‘finally’ turns to an online service is already removing barriers to the companionship they desire?
So, is use of the service a cause of lowered standards, or just the evidence it’s already happened?
SETTLING FOR WHAT YOU CAN CATCH USUALLY LEADS TO 2 KIDS AND A DIVORCE. EITHER FIND WHAT YOUR HUNTING FOR AND MAKE IT YOURS OR KEEP HUNTING!
A lot of women are only looking at men’s bulges……the bulge of a mans wallet, of course.
Swipe left for chlamydia.
Just be easygoing with ladies, and you’ll be fine, don’t worry be happy, get wealthy & health.
Finding a lover online is window shopping. Driving instead of hiking. Making lists instead of going out and getting it done. Just walk right up to her and start talking. Ask her how her day is. Compliment whatever it is that she appears to spend a lot of time on – hair, make-up, outfit, fitness. Hooking up for dinner and sexercise truly is a matter of will power. For me, it’s the fountain of youth. To stay young, drink big gulps. To enjoy life, take big bites.
The correct term is horney.
Those that pray together, stay together. How bout looking for love at church? You’ll find good girls, clean girls…
Been there, done that. When they figure out you are not Jesus it can get bumpy.
And someone once said that there’s always room for another hypocrite in the pews, meaning that the younger women who still go to church aren’t the ‘good girls’ you’d expect them to be. Exceptions exist, of course, but they are as rare as hen’s teeth, and just as rare as a truly good woman.
so much garbage on dating sites,,,,,,,
The media is limited linear thinking–If your standards are unreasonable (thus keeping you single), how is lowering them bad?
Looking for a 10, settle for a 5, wake up with a 1…..Doh!
funny guy…smiles
A nine ain’t nothing but a three that won’t press charges.
It’s true. I’ve done online dating and dated people I met in real life. The people I have dated from meeting in real life were always much closer to my ideal than people I’ve met online. Even the comparatively attractive ones online had glaring defects that I couldn’t look past and so those relationships didn’t last longer than a few months.
Not to say that love is impossible to find online. I know it’s worked for some. I’ve just personally had more success in the real world. If anything taking a gander at the online dating pool often leaves me thankful for what I have now.
The mere fact that folks go online to find a date/fbuddy/or spouse says it all doesn’t it?
If the people you know, and who know you aren’t interested, why not try a stranger?
Says something in my mind about anyone using these services.
All damaged goods I suspect.
Says the guy dating his tractor.
Oh, I don’t have to worry about a date, been with my bride for going on 47 years.
Do you have something against eating, farmers, or Ag equipment?
That’s good to know. No, I like eating, farmers and Ag equipment. I just think that after 47 years of being out of the loop in dating you aren’t in a good position to know what dating is like now-a-days.
LOL perhaps not Ken, but, I do know I would stay with folks I know, and who know me. I guess I’m old fashioned.
Regards
Lowering their standards? REALLY!? They’re trolling the internet wooking po nub…I’m betting their standards pretty much started…low!
In other words, it’s all about the pictures.
Not only do men outnumber women ten to one on dating sites, the real women on those sites (as opposed to fake women the sites use to lure and rip off men) are generally in the bottom 25%.
“Online Dating Causes People To Lower Their Standards”
I guess that’s what Hillary supporters hoped would happen in the election.