"An Image of Ourselves in Our Minds": How College-educated Online Dating Users Construct Profiles for Effective Self Presentation

TL;DR

This study explores how college-educated online dating users craft profiles by strategically selecting images that highlight idealized traits, balancing self-presentation and privacy concerns, revealing insights for better platform design.

Contribution

It provides an in-depth analysis of profile construction strategies among Chinese college-educated online daters, highlighting the use of idealized images and privacy-preserving tactics.

Findings

Users select idealized photos to exaggerate positive traits.

Profiles often include images that show personality without revealing identity.

Users hide certain information to protect privacy.

Abstract

Online dating is frequently used by individuals looking for potential relationships and intimate connections. Central to dating apps is the creation and refinement of a dating profile, which represents the way individuals desire to present themselves to potential mates, while hiding information they do not care to share. To investigate the way frequent users of dating apps construct their online profiles and perceive the effectiveness of strategies taken in making profiles, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 experienced users who are Chinese college-educated young adults and uncovered the processes and rationales by which they make profiles for online dating, particularly in selecting images for inclusion. We found that participants used idealized photos that exaggerated their positive personality traits, sometimes traits that they do not possess but perceive others to desire, and sometimes even traits they wish they had possessed. Users also strategically used photos that show personality and habits without showing themselves, and often hid certain identifying information to reduce privacy risks. This analysis signals potential factors that are key in building online dating profiles, providing design implications for systems that limit the use of inaccurate information while still promoting self-expression in relationship platforms.