Users of dating apps are looking for about the same level of goodwill, conscientiousness and extroversion in potential partners as they have themselves. This was found out by psychologists from the University of Stirling (UK) according to the results of a new study Assortative preferences for personality and online dating apps: Individuals prefer profiles similar to themselves on agreeableness, openness, and extraversion / Personality and Individual Differences .
The researchers asked 383 volunteers to rate 100 different profiles from dating apps. They were shown a photo of the person, a brief description from the profile and asked how likely the participant would like this profile.
The descriptions were compiled in such a way as to distinguish features from the "Big Five" — these are extroversion, openness, benevolence, conscientiousness and neuroticism. At the same time, the participants themselves also took a questionnaire that allowed researchers to evaluate them in order to study the correlation between the person himself and his preferences.
It turned out that the participants put about the same number of likes — regardless of what type of personality they themselves have. But it affected the "recipients" of likes.
It turned out that people in general are more likely to like the profiles of users who were considered friendly and emotionally stable. The authors also noted a slight preference for introverts. But openness and conscientiousness did not particularly affect the choice.
Participants with a higher level of goodwill themselves preferred profiles with such a trait. The same was noted in terms of openness and extroversion.
The authors noted that science does not yet allow us to understand how stable personality traits are. And although their research allowed us to confirm that initially people are attracted to those who are similar to them in some personality traits, this does not guarantee that such couples will retain similarities in the future.
