Don’t judge a book by its cover? Or do you? With talk of personality over looks, the dating app culture shares a very different story. A study published in Computers in Human Behavior Reports revealed how physical attractiveness has a big role in determining how one gets matches on dating apps. Personality, humour and all may weigh in later, but the looks dictate whether you may get left or right-swiped. When it comes to first impressions, good looks leave a better impact. If you are not getting matches on dating apps, your pictures may just be ugly.
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Looks matter the most
Online dating apps are fast-paced platforms where users quickly assess profiles, getting a sneak peek into a person’s life. These apps rely heavily on visual appeal; no matter how quirky a bio or endearing a quote, looks take the crown when making a first impression. At least in the initial selection phase, attractiveness adds a big point to the profile, elevating the odds of getting noticed.
The research included 445 dating app users in Germany, aged 18 to 35, and confirmed that swiping decisions are primarily based on looks.
As per the findings, there are 20% chances of getting selected when it comes to attractiveness, while intelligence only improved the odds by 2%.
Men and women have no difference
Although, surprisingly, here’s where the findings get interesting. While it’s commonly believed that men prioritize looks and women value personality, career, and intelligence, the study debunked this common assumption. Men and women showed no difference in prioritizing attractiveness over other qualities. Even height, regardless of attractiveness, had very little significance to women, challenging earlier traditional assumptions about dating preferences.
This is a big finding as it shows men and women are alike with their selection parameters, than earlier thought. So, if you’re lazy and think your profile bio will do the heavy lifting for you, think twice before choosing the pictures you upload.
Solution
No matter how much energy you put into quirky bios, your profile picture is what dictates the swipe. Even if personality and intelligence matter later in a relationship, you won’t even get a shot because if your pictures are not attractive, you might not get swiped right. There’s no knowing how things will unfold if you never make it past the first impression.
Daunting, right? It’s a common reaction to swear off dating apps, cursing them for being shallow and superficial. But there’s a solution to get ahead of this systematic flaw.
The researchers recommended selecting high-quality photos, as they could make a major difference in getting matches. They even suggested asking friends to help figure out which photo captures your most flattering angles. It’s time you take your profile pictures seriously and look the best in them.
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