Tinder users have a lower sense of self-worth, study says - CNET

The 1,044 women and 273 men (mean age 20.56) who took part were asked about their thighs, their faces and other personal essences.

The conclusions were somewhat bracing. If you're a Tinder user, that is.

The researchers found that Tinderers are thunderingly critical about themselves -- more so than those who resist this rather irresistible app.

Compared with those in the study who weren't using the app, the Tinderers were more ashamed of their bodies and showed greater dissatisfaction with their faces.

They were also more likely to obsess about how they looked.

One thing that struck the researchers was that these results weren't gender-specific. Male Tinderers were, if anything, even more likely to show a lack of self-worth than women.

These respondents were, though, on the young side. Aren't the young just generally more obsessed with their looks?

"We acknowledge that the demographics of this sample is a limitation to the study, and we noted that in the paper," researcher Jessica Strubel told me. "We also recognize that as one of the first studies to empirically study Tinder in relation to psychological outcomes that more more research is needed to replicate our findings."

But what about the results conceing men? How did the researchers explain them?

"Men exhibited lower self-esteem than female users. Based on Tinder statistics, it is possible men are more affected simply because there are more of them on the app than women, which allows women to be more disceing when deciding whether to swipe right," Strubel told me.

It's well known that men tend to swipe right on many more female profiles, because they know there are more men on the app, so they have to compete hard for any attention at all.

"The increased odds of being rejected by potential connections may put men into a vulnerable position, which could then affect their self-concept," Strubel theorizes.