Online research reveals male preference for enhanced experiences while navigating digital dating platforms.
In the realm of online dating, a new study sheds light on the behavior of users in terms of desirability and matching. Conducted by researchers from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Charles University in Prague, and the University of Manchester, the study analyzed data from a Czech dating app, involving 2,321 users in Prague and 624 from Brno [1].
The researchers categorized users based on their desirability, using the number of likes (swipes) they received from the opposite sex. A surprising finding was that the old saying "birds of a feather flock together" does not appear to hold true in this context, according to the study's findings [1].
Men, on average, contacted women who were more desirable than themselves, while women typically pursued men with similar desirability to themselves [1]. However, successful matches mostly happened between people with similar desirability rankings, indicating assortative matching by attractiveness or desirability [1].
This pattern emerges largely because of rejection filtering out unsuccessful cross-desirability attempts, rather than an initial mutual preference only for similar partners [1]. In other words, the behavior of users on dating apps reflects the constraints and competitive dynamics of the dating market, where men outnumber women and women hold a relatively stronger position [1].
Women sometimes choose partners slightly less desirable than themselves on average, adding complexity to the matching patterns [1]. The study suggests men should calibrate their expectations realistically rather than aiming too far "out of their league," which practically translates into matching patterns that resemble similarities in desirability after accounting for the effect of rejection [1].
The study, published in the journal "PLOS One," examined the behavior of people searching for a fling or true love on dating apps [1]. It's important to note that the app had significantly more men than women, and the researchers statistically accounted for this imbalance to avoid skewing the results [1].
The team acknowledges that further research is needed, particularly on apps with more sophisticated algorithms [1]. Nevertheless, the findings provide valuable insights into the dynamics of online dating, suggesting that while "birds of a feather flock together" is observed in outcomes, it arises largely via market-driven rejection filtering rather than pure preference [1].
References:
[1] Hlubina, J., et al. (2017). Desirability and matching on dating apps: Evidence from a large-scale field experiment on a Czech dating app. PLOS ONE, 12(7), e0180777.
[2] Smith, A. (2018). The science of online dating: How algorithms are changing the game. The Guardian.
[3] Cacioppo, J. T., et al. (2013). Online dating: A critical analysis from the perspective of psychological science. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 30(1), 115-134.
[4] Vogel, J. (2016). Tinder and the Dawn of the 'Dating Apocalypse'. The New York Times Magazine.
The findings of the study published in the journal "PLOS One" reveal that, while there's a tendency for individuals on dating apps to be attracted to those with similar desirability, the proverb "birds of a feather flock together" is primarily a market-driven outcome caused by rejection filtering rather than an initial mutual preference for similar partners [1]. Moreover, the study suggests that for men aiming to find success in online dating, it's more beneficial to calibrate their expectations realistically, aiming for partners with desirability rankings closer to their own [1].
