Users of online dating application Tinder experience lower self-esteem, are less satisfied with their body and report more body shaming episodes than non-users, a new study presented at the annual convention of the American Psychological Association has claimed.
Tinder users also reported a lower level of self-worth than study participants who did not use the app.
Tinder is an app that matches couples by their physical attraction to each other. The application shows profiles of singles, accompanied by a short description. Users can “swipe” right or left to accept or discard the profile. It has around 50 million active users worldwide and is particularly popular amongst adults aged 18 to 24 years.
The researchers surveyed 1,044 women and 272 men about Tinder usage, their body image, socio-cultural factors and psychological well-being. Compared with the non-users, both female and male Tinder users reported less satisfaction with their bodies and appearance. However, only male Tinder users reported lower self-esteem.
Being actively involved with Tinder, regardless of the user's gender, was associated with body dissatisfaction, body shame, body monitoring, internalization of societal expectations of beauty, comparing oneself physically to others, and reliance on media for information on appearance and attractiveness.- Jessica Strübel
Receiving compliments from other users may boost egos and feed narcissistic tendencies, the authors point out. However, the act of being scrutinised, evaluated and objectified can make users more body-conscious and lead to feelings of anxiety, depression and psychological distress.
"We found that being actively involved with Tinder, regardless of the user's gender, was associated with body dissatisfaction, body shame, body monitoring, internalization of societal expectations of beauty, comparing oneself physically to others, and reliance on media for information on appearance and attractiveness," said Jessica Strübel, Ph.D., study co-author at the University of North Texas.
According to Strübel, Tinder users tend to think there is someone better around the corner, and thus continue swiping. Because of that, users may start to question their own worth.
"Although current body image interventions primarily have been directed toward women, our findings suggest that men are equally and negatively affected by their involvement in social media," Strübel said.
The researchers say that while Tinder users reported lower-self esteem, it does not indicate that Tinder is the cause. The findings suggest that people with low self-esteem are more attracted to self-objectifying applications.