According to 323 million people who use them globally, they are a modern way to find love, but dating apps fuel obsession with appearance surgery that may not have a happy ending.
A new study by researchers at the University of South Australia reveals how dating apps are more likely to be able to do cosmetic surgery on screen and change their appearance on screen than non-users.
The emphasis on appearance, especially sliding-based applications, plays a role in affecting 20% of women to change appearance through dermal fillers and anti-wrinkle injections, especially anti-wrinkle injections.
Naomi Burkhardt, a bachelor’s degree (Honours) graduate and interim psychologist, led the study published in the study Computers for human behaviorsays that while the growing popularity of dating apps has reduced the stigma of using them to find love, there are still drawbacks.
“The visual nature of dating app prioritization puts huge pressure on users to express themselves in idealized substances, which is not real,” Burkhart said.
Researchers surveyed 308 Australian women aged 18 to 72 and found that nearly half of them used a dating app in the past two years, while one in five reported at least one makeup routine.
Women using dating apps have significantly greater attitudes towards cosmetic surgery than non-users, while women who digitally change their appearance are more likely to consider makeup procedures.
In addition to the stress of enhancing the appearance, dating apps can also partially cause overall physical dissatisfaction, eating disorders, anxiety, and poor self-esteem.
Earlier studies have investigated the link between general modes of social media use and acceptance of plastic surgery, but very few data specifically research dating apps.
UNISA co-author Lauren Conboy proposed several interventions to address the psychological impact of dating applications, including the inclusion of functions that promote authenticity.
“Introducing more personality-based matching algorithms can also be thought to reduce attention to the appearance of the body, and applications can provide built-in body image interventions, such as self-peer practice, to reduce stress to change your appearance.”
Online dating has become increasingly popular in recent years, and this trend is expected to continue, with dating site Eharmony predicting that by 2040, more than 70% of relationships will begin online.
UNISA co-author John Mingoia, PhD, an online lecturer in psychology, said dating apps have the potential to create healthier environments in which users can connect without feeling the need to confirm unrealistic beauty standards. .
“Hopefully this study will guide future research to develop interventions to improve the authenticity of dating apps and support practitioners to better identify the motivations of women who want to change their appearance,” Dr Mingoia said.
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