Love online is about being real, not perfect

DESCRIPTION

“University of Iowa researchers find people prefer online profiles that present potential love interests who are successful, humble, and real” … We wondered, ‘What do people like in a dating profile?’” Wotipka (author of the study) says. ’Whom are they most likely to contact? Whom are they most interested in meeting?’”  The authors presented approximately 300 men and women with profiles of the type found in the online dating service, OK Cupid.  The profiles differed in how grandiose to humble the self-presentations sounded, as well as how “real” (true to life) the subjects information was about themselves (warranty) in other words real and authentic.  The participants generally chose not the high over the top profiles but those that were more to the humble side and authentic (real).

SOURCE:

Iowa Now (University Of Iowa), 2015.02.11, By: Sara Agnew

LINK TO RESOURCE

http://now.uiowa.edu/2015/02/love-online-about-being-real-not-perfect

CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

•What data does Social Psychology tell us about attraction?
•What are the pros and cons of this type of study? Could it be replicated?
•How can we use research to study real world situations such as dating?
•In general, for class discussion, would the students agree (or disagree) with the results?