Why Tinder can make it HARDER to find love: Excessive swiping creates ‘mate choice overload’
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, many singletons may be swiping on their dating apps with a little more urgency than usual.
Unfortunately, a new study from the University of Vienna has found that this excessive seeking can do more harm than good in the search for love.
Psychologists surveyed 464 young people about their use of the dating app, including how much they swipe and how they decide whether to go left or right on a profile.
They were also asked if they compare themselves to others or get overwhelmed when browsing profiles, as well as their feelings about being single.
A correlation was found between excessive swiping and the fear of being alone forever, feeling bad about your life and so-called partner choice overload.
A new study from the University of Vienna has found that excessive swiping on dating apps exacerbates feelings of self-doubt and the fear of being single (stock image)
The researchers believe that the feelings of self-doubt and bewilderment are all caused by exposure to many profiles.
Lead author Marina Thomas said: ‘Our findings suggest that users of dating apps who are seriously interested in meeting someone face-to-face should try to limit their swiping and not be distracted by instant gratifications on the app, such as’ like” and “match” notifications.
“These apps are designed to enhance human connection, but if you swipe too much, you might miss that spark you want.”
Dating apps use rating profiles by swiping right on a person you like and left to reject someone you don’t like, with “matches” created when two people swipe right on each other.
Getting matched with someone you find attractive on Tinder, Bumble or Hinge can make you feel good about yourself and dream about your future relationship, the researchers said.
But they cautioned that online dating has the hallmarks of something addictive as matches become more and more satisfying and the apps reward frequent use.
For example, algorithms favor profiles that are often online, and some apps require the user to open them to check for new messages and interactions.
Many users also admit that they rarely date their matches face-to-face, or even message them, leaving the dating process in the online realm and non-communicative.
For the new study, published this month in Telematics and Informatics, the psychologists examined possible unwanted consequences of using dating apps.
The researchers believe the feelings of self-doubt and bewilderment are all caused by exposure to many profiles on dating apps (stock image)
Young people aged 16 to 25 using these apps were recruited to complete a series of online surveys.
Participants shared how often they used dating apps and whether they “swipe excessively.”
This was defined as agreeing with statements such as “I just have to keep swiping, there’s no other way,” “I often think about swiping when I’m doing something else,” and “I’d miss not swiping anymore.”
They were then asked to rank the extent to which they agreed with statements indicating upward social comparison, fear of being single, and partner choice overload.
These include “others are more popular than me,” “I feel anxious thinking about being single forever,” and “I feel like I see so many potential partners on dating apps that I can barely process the information.”
Finally, they were assessed by swiping in ‘locomotion mode’ or ‘assessment mode’.
The former makes decisions based on profiles based on gut feeling or first impressions, while the latter based on the information in the profile and self-defined criteria.
Analysis of the results showed that moderate use of dating apps had no effect on any of the three emotional factors.
However, they found that the more someone uses dating apps, the more likely they are to engage in excessive swiping.
It is believed that online dating offers a potential reward, but at the same time ‘does not lead to visible rejection’.
“This makes the activity of swiping an ideal candidate for compulsive behavior,” the authors wrote.
Research has also shown that people can be pickier when presented with a large number of options because they have higher expectations of their final choice.
The authors wrote: ‘People don’t stop searching once they find a suitable option, they try to maximize their profits and that requires extensive searching.’
A link was found between excessive swiping and upward social comparison, and the researchers argue that the former triggers the latter.
This is because the user considers how their ‘attractiveness, popularity or self-worth’ should match that of their chosen partner.
Excessive swiping was also seen as exacerbating the fear of being single, and this was the case for both singles and those in relationships.
Excessive swiping was found to trigger social comparison. This is because the user thinks about how their “attractiveness, popularity or self-worth” matches that of their chosen partner (stock image)
The authors wrote, “When users are exposed to hundreds of profiles, they report feeling they need to screen all options and weed out the unsuitable ones.”
The number of options adds pressure because, in theory, it increases the likelihood of a good match, and can make the user feel “failed” if they can’t find one.
Finally, a correlation was found between excessive swiping and feeling distracted or overwhelmed by the sheer number of profiles, or unable to process them all.
“Excessive swipers are reported to be more overwhelmed by the abundant number of apparently available partners on dating apps than moderate swipers,” the authors wrote.
These three factors were exhibited by users swiping excessively in both assessment and locomotion modes.
“That is, excessive sweeping appears generally harmful, regardless of how young people swipe,” the researchers added.
“As social media has shown, it is not only the time spent on dating apps that is problematic for transitional youth, but also the overuse of a certain rather non-communicative platform element.”