New study finds that too much swiping can cultivate a rejection mindset

Swiping through a lot of profiles quickly might seem like a benefit of online dating, but according to a new study, too many choices can lead to a “rejection mindset” for daters.

According to PsyPost.com, researchers from the Netherlands found that people tended to close themselves off when using dating apps because they get overwhelmed by the number of choices presented. A seemingly endless stream of profiles increases feelings of dissatisfaction, which in turn causes them to reject even more potential dates, especially the more they swipe.

The researchers focused on a series of three studies of between 150 and 315 heterosexual individuals aged 18 to 30, who tend to use dating apps more than other groups. In the first, a group was shown varying numbers of profiles and asked to accept or reject each one. In the second, participants were asked to use their own photos and were told that they could match with the people they were shown. In the third study, participants were shown a group of 50 profiles, divided into blocks of ten, and were asked questions about their experience after each block. 

They found that over time, these participants became more dissatisfied with their choices, and more pessimistic about being chosen themselves.

This tendency was found to be stronger in women, “the gender that is already much less likely to accept potential partners to begin with,” the researchers told PsyPost. As a result, their expectations for finding a match also plummeted the longer they spent sifting through profiles.

This falls in line with a previous study from researchers Sheena Iyengar and Barry Schwartz, who dubbed the dilemma “The Paradox of Choice.” Essentially, while people want as many options as possible – from laundry detergent to chocolate bars to potential mates – they can become overwhelmed when presented with too many options, leaving them unable to make a decision. When they do choose, they are much less likely to be satisfied with the outcome, leading to feelings of regret about their choices. 

This explains why many people continue to swipe through profiles on dating apps even when they meet someone who interests them. They assume that having as many options as possible means they can make a better decision, when in fact the studies seem to show that this is not the case.

“Thanks to online dating, there are more possibilities to meet new partners than ever before, yet at the same time there have never been more people single in western society,” said study author Tila Pronk, an assistant professor of social psychology at Tilburg University. “I wanted to investigate this paradox.”

The findings were published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science.