Misrepresentation and gender differences in online dating profiles

Misrepresentation and Online Dating

With the advent of the Internet and online dating has become an increasingly popular method for starting romantic relationships. However, according to Hancock, Toma and Ellison (2007), recent research has found that most individuals misrepresent themselves online. This study will analyze user profiles and investigate what aspects online daters lie about, when utilizing an online dating service, to find a potential partner. This paper is based on observation of two online dating sites, with a specific focus on misrepresentation and gender differences. In order to gain insight into the research question, contact was initiated with respondents, both male and female who were members of Fusion101.com and friendsreuniteddating.co.uk. Once contact had been made, the researcher then invited them to talk via an MSN Chat program. Data from the respondents allowed the researcher to determine if the data on their Dating profile differs from the data from the MSN Chat program. This was then utilized to determine if deception was used to enhance their overall appearance. Findings from the experiment indicated that male users are more likely to deceive females during computer mediate communication.

1.0 Introduction

Thanks to the advancement of computing technology and the Internet, online dating websites are becoming an increasingly popular method for starting romantic relationships. Users spend time creating their profiles geared to enhance their best qualities, in hopes of attracting a prospective date. Hancock, Toma and Ellison (2007) found that it was very common for people to misrepresent themselves, during this process, with common exaggerations including information about their height, weight, and age, in their online dating profiles (Rowatt et al., 1998). This could cause some concern due to the fact that online dating lacks the initial face-to-face encounter experienced in traditional dating. This can make it difficult for people viewing the profile to be certain that they have a true picture of what that person is really like. In an example of deception and misrepresentation in online relationships, one study found that a twenty-seven-year-old male had met an attractive young female on the Internet., However, when the time came to meet in person, the male was very surprised to be greeted by a pensioner (Joinson. an, 2003). Another study conducted by Cornwall and Lundgren (2001) found that out of eighty chat room users, twenty eight per cent of users misrepresented their physical characteristics and age. Therefore the following research question was addressed in this study: What do online daters lie about?

Interpersonal Deception Theory (IDT), as discussed by Griffin (2003), can be utilized to further understand the effect this deception has on the communication process. IDT is based on the premise that communication is not static and constantly fluctuates between the sender and receiver. The interrelationship between the perception of deception and the sender and receiver's behaviors and cognitions are unique.

Griffin (2003) further describes the power of persuasion and its effects on communication. With online dating, this can be especially important. The user searching through profiles has a desire to find someone they feel is suited to them. A well written profile, describing and enhancing all of a member's best attributes, can be a very powerful persuader, especially when combined with the searcher's longing to make a match. The deception that is so easily undertaken, with the veil of anonymity afforded by the Internet, is a significant persuader for those being decieved.

2.1 Participants

Six online daters were approached for this study (2 female and 4 male). All respondents were Caucasians and the ages ranged from 28 to 52 years, all participants resided in the UK. Forty-six percent of the respondents stated that their relationship status were divorced, 67% were single.

2.2 Procedure

Participants were selected from two of the largest UK online dating sites that the researcher was a current member of, Fusion101.co.uk and FriendsReunitedDating.co.uk. One of the original profiles had been changed from a female to a male and the other remained as a female. The researcher then randomly selected twenty-two participants from the sites by sending them winks and emails and the overall response rate was 20%.

Once contact had been initiated with the respondents after several times the researcher invited them to MSN Chat to communicate with them more instantly. This study mostly consisted of open-ended questions