Abstract
The paradox of modern dating is that online platforms provide more opportunities to find a romantic partner than ever before,
but people are nevertheless more likely to be single. We hypothesized the existence of a rejection mind-set: The continued access to virtually unlimited potential partners makes people more pessimistic and rejecting. Across three studies, participants immediately started to reject more hypothetical and actual partners when dating online, cumulating on average in a decrease of 27% in
chance on acceptance from the first to the last partner option. This was explained by an overall decline in satisfaction with pictures and perceived dating success. For women, the rejection mind-set also resulted in a decreasing likelihood of having romantic matches. Our findings suggest that people gradually “close off” from mating opportunities when online dating.
but people are nevertheless more likely to be single. We hypothesized the existence of a rejection mind-set: The continued access to virtually unlimited potential partners makes people more pessimistic and rejecting. Across three studies, participants immediately started to reject more hypothetical and actual partners when dating online, cumulating on average in a decrease of 27% in
chance on acceptance from the first to the last partner option. This was explained by an overall decline in satisfaction with pictures and perceived dating success. For women, the rejection mind-set also resulted in a decreasing likelihood of having romantic matches. Our findings suggest that people gradually “close off” from mating opportunities when online dating.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 388-396 |
| Journal | Social Psychological and Personality Science |
| Volume | 11 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2020 |
Keywords
- MATE
- OPTIONS
- R PACKAGE
- TOO
- choice overload
- interpersonal relationships
- mate choice
- online dating
- romantic partner selection
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Replication Data for: A rejection mind-set: Choice overload in online dating.
Pronk, T. (Creator) & Denissen, J. (Creator), DataverseNL, 28 Jan 2020
DOI: 10.34894/8wq1uc, https://dataverse.nl/citation?persistentId=doi:10.34894/8WQ1UC
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