Sex and Love

People Who Look for Love This Way Tend to Have Low Self-Esteem, Say Mean Scientists

There's nothing more depressing than swiping left on, like, 20 guys in a row on Tinder. (And then not scoring a match with the one guy you swiped right on.) Now, a new study shows all that swiping might actually be taking a toll on people's psyches.

A paper presented at the American Psychological Association’s annual convention reveals a bummer characteristic that seems to be common among Tinder users: low self-esteem. Researchers from the University of North Texas asked a group of 1,300 male and female subjects (mostly college-aged) to score their feelings about statements on body image and self-esteem, such as “At times, I think I am no good at all,” on a scale of one to five. Each participant also indicated whether or not they used Tinder or social dating sites.

Respondents who used the dating app were generally more likely to have low self-worth, be less satisfied with their appearance, and be more embarrassed by their bodies—regardless of their gender, as opposed to the people who reported that they weren't on the app. And that’s not all: The data also indicates that Tinder users are more likely to view themselves as sex objects and be hyperconscious of their looks, especially as compared to others.

But wait, there's a twist! The lowest self-esteem levels were registered by the men, not the women. Researchers speculate that the results skewed this way because, in general, there are more men on the app than women. Not helping the situation: Men have a tendency to be less discerning with their swiping habits, which ups the odds of rejection. (Where’s that sad trombone noise when you need it?)

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More research is needed to determine whether the app actually causes lower self-esteem or if people who gravitate toward it have lower self-esteem coming in. But until then, maybe go the ol' fashioned route and head to a bar.