Apparently, the more success men have with dating apps, the more likely they are to be psychopaths. (Don’t blame me; blame science.)
A recent study called “Dating App Users: Interpersonal Styles and Self-Reported Mating Success,” authored by Lennart Freyth and Peter K. Jonason, found a correlation between dating app success and psychopathy. Namely, psychopathic men tend to report more sexual activity on Tinder.
“When I started my research in the area of dating apps and social media, I dived deeper into theoretical explanations of our behavior,” Freyth, the founder and research director of the Behavioral and Social Sciences Institute and a professor at HSD Hochschule Döpfer University of Applied Sciences, told PsyPost. “Considering personality a behavioral disposition, I was indeed wondering: Why was nobody going for the most obvious elements of dating apps?”
Freyth and his team measured the personality traits and behaviors of nearly 500 dating app users, including their tendencies to secure dates and have sex.
Psychopathic Men Find More Success on Dating Apps
Freyth explained to PsyPost that “there is a general pattern that emerges when investigating social media use and associated personality traits.”
“Individuals who have elevated levels of traits associated with a fast life history (like the Dark Triad/Tetrad traits, or sociosexuality) use visual social media platforms more intensely,” he continued. “They also report more dates and sex—here, for instance, men high in psychopathy and sociosexuality.”
So, does this mean you’re automatically a psychopath if you’re a man who’s particularly lucky on the dating apps? Of course not.
However, some of the personality traits associated with psychopathy do serve these men well on the apps, especially when it comes to securing a sexual partner. For example, qualities like callousness and a lack of empathy might play a role when being dishonest about their intentions or how they might impact others. Not to mention, these individuals tend to be more manipulative and charming, which is how they lure their victims to begin with.
These qualities, coupled with others like impulsiveness, can contribute to their success with one-night stands over actual committed relationships.
Women Lower Their Standards on Dating Apps
On the other hand, the research found that women who reported more “success” and hookups on the dating apps also tended to lower their standards.
Freyth labeled this the “sunk cost effect,” which is basically the tendency to continue something once it’s already been planned. For example, they already built a rapport with their match and set up a date, subconsciously already committing to the idea of sex. So, they simply went along with their original plan, even if the date wasn’t what they’d hoped it’d be.
“After already texting, once on a date, the decision to engage further was already made,” he told PsyPost.
How to Spot a Psychopath on Dating Apps
Of course, identifying a psychopath isn’t easy, especially when they can hide behind a carefully curated dating profile. They often possess the ability to mimic “normal” reactions or emotions like empathy and care.
However, suppose you notice the person is agreeing with everything you say, changing their opinions constantly to match yours, or seemingly trying to be the most interesting individual in the room. In that case, this might point to the grandiosity often experienced in psychopathology.
Additionally, the person might attempt to rush your connection, especially physically, either by appeasing you or love-bombing you with affection and adoration.
The post Here’s How To Tell if You’re Dating a Psychopath appeared first on VICE.
