How Often Do People Post Inaccurate Pictures on Dating Sites?

Fact: About 1/3 of Photos on Online Dating Sites are Inaccurate

Most people post their best picture on the web when they seek love. But 1/3 of them post pictures that are clearly inaccurate. Furthermore, the lower the online daters attractiveness, the more likely they are to post inaccuracies online. This could make anyone uncomfortable on the first encounter.

Source: “Putting Your Best Face Forward: The Accuracy of Online Dating Photographs” from Journal of Communication

This study examines the accuracy of 54 online dating photographs posted by heterosexual daters. We report data on (a1) online daters’ self-reported accuracy, (b) independent judges’ perceptions of accuracy, and (c) inconsistencies in the profile photograph identified by trained coders.

While online daters rated their photos as relatively accurate, independent judges rated approximately 1/3 of the photographs as not accurate. Female photographs were judged as less accurate than male photographs, and were more likely to be older, to be retouched or taken by a professional photographer, and to contain inconsistencies, including changes in hair style and skin quality.

The findings are discussed in terms of the tensions experienced by online daters to (a) enhance their physical attractiveness and (b) present a photograph that would not be judged deceptive in subsequent face-to-face meetings. The paper extends the theoretical concept of selective self-presentation to online photographs, and discusses issues of self-deception and social desirability bias.

From Sage Journals

Independent judges rated the online daters’ physical attractiveness. Results show that the lower online daters’ attractiveness, the more likely they were to enhance their profile photographs and lie about their physical descriptors (height, weight, age).

The association between attractiveness and deception did not extend to profile elements unrelated to their physical appearance (e.g., income, occupation), suggesting that their deceptions were limited and strategic. Results are discussed in terms of (a) evolutionary theories about the importance of physical attractiveness in the dating realm and (b) the technological affordances that allow online daters to engage in selective self-presentation.

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