The psychology of attraction

New Delhi, Sep 7 (IANS ) In the digital realm of dating, where every interaction and every move helps make or break the first impression, a new survey by dating app, QuackQuack, throws light on the surprising factors that play a crucial part in the process of matching with potential partners.

The study was conducted among 10,000 dating app users from Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities of India. The results of the survey indicate that language, well-crafted, makes a big difference in the online dating world. Daters between 18 and 30 participated and answered a variety of questions that helped it analyse the psychology of attraction in virtual dating. A vast majority of these participants are business owners and students, and a chunk of them are working professionals.

QuackQuack's Founder and CEO, Ravi Mittal, commented, "Our app caters to 2.6 crore Indian daters, and from their dating style and trends, we have noticed that language plays a powerful tool for impressing potential partners. We also see that profiles with a well-written Bio get more visitors and more likes."

The Visual Impact

49 per cent of online dating app users stated that the display image plays the most significant role in online attraction. Explaining how physical attraction is almost always the first step, these users mentioned that an attractive profile picture, with a warm smile and well-styled outfit, has a better chance of attracting matches. Visual cues are essential in online dating, said these Tier 1 and 2 daters. That's how first impressions are made in the virtual dating world.

Poor grammar can lead to rejections

In the survey, 37 per cent of users revealed rejecting profiles with grammatical errors in them. 28 per cent of female and 9 percent of male users admitted to ignoring match requests if their Bio showcases bad grammar, spelling mistakes, and the like. They also voiced that a profile with a well-written bio, not just maintaining the 70-30 ratio, where you talk about yourself 70 percent of the time and use the remaining 30 percent to describe the kind of partner you are looking for, but also making it engaging, for instance with open-ended questions, is more likely to get better responses and more matches.

The mirror effect

22 per cent of daters between 18 and 26 mentioned how the mirror effect plays a major part in online attractions. They said that most daters are more drawn toward profiles that reflect their own traits, similar interests, and attitudes, creating a sense of familiarity and compatibility. For instance, avid readers tend to match with profiles that mention reading, dog lovers or cat lovers visit profiles with pictures of pets, etc. Clash of ideals and core values are aspects that are best avoided for a better relationship in the long run.

Self-validation

Self-validation is a huge motivator in the process of selecting a match on a dating app, said 31 per cent of male daters from Tier 1 and 2 cities. They revealed matching with or at least trying to match with attractive women, usually out of their league in their own words, to contribute to their self-esteem. More often than not, this leads to a negative result rather than the expected positive one. The same people also disclosed that profiles that showcase insensitive and controversial content are less approachable and attract a smaller number of matches because they give out an arrogant vibe and might even be considered a red flag.

Wit and Humour

38 per cent of daters above 28 say humour plays a significant role in online attraction. Women in this group specifically mentioned that men who can make people laugh without using vulgarity or with witty jokes are even the most attractive. Contrary to popular belief, men are not only attracted to the face but they are also attracted to a woman's wit, said 27 per cent of the men. Women with a good sense of humor are a catch, commented these men.

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Source: IANS