Online dating apps are currently a very popular way for social interaction and getting to know or date others, but recent research suggests that they may cause people to lower their standards in reality as well.
According to researchers at Queensland University of Technology in Australia, singles tend to have a clear idea of what is on their dating wish list, but they are more likely to go out with individuals they meet online, even if these individuals do not actually meet their requirements. Behavioral economists Dr. Stephen White and Professor Beno Torgler were behind this study, published under the title "Preference versus Choice in Online Dating" in the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking. The study examined the behaviors of nearly 42,000 individuals aged 18 to 80 who used an Australian dating site called "RSVP" from January to April 2016, with about 78% of the participants being male.
Dr. White states: "During the study, we looked at whether people were actually connecting with those who matched what they claimed were the specifications of their ideal partner in their profile. The results showed that they often did not, and it seems that mentioning preferences does not significantly affect the characteristics of the people they ultimately connect with or date."
According to the study, participants' "wish lists" consisted of seven categories for an ideal partner: hair color, eye color, body type, education level, personality type, political views, and religious affiliation. The authors concluded that instead of continuing to search for someone who fits their wish list criteria, participants were more likely to connect with individuals who matched some of these criteria but not all. In fact, the study showed that over 65% of the people whom study participants dated on the site had one or fewer matching categories, with about one in three having zero matching traits.
Dr. White remarks: "Disclosing preferences for the ideal partner is a widely available option that people use when creating profiles on online dating sites, but whether it is effective or helpful in assisting individuals in finding someone special remains unclear." This study presents highly unique findings in that individuals may declare preferences for an ideal partner, but they are more than willing to start dating to explore the possibility of falling in love, even with people who do not fully match their criteria.
In addition to the main results of the study, the authors also noted that men tend to be more open than women in reaching out to potential matches with fewer matching criteria, except for men in their sixties or older, who were more selective compared to younger men.
