Self-Presentation in Online Dating – An Analysis of Behavioural Diversity

Abstract

Human communication experiences a major shift towards virtual interactions and social networks. These virtual environments enable users to present themselves to a virtual audience. In this paper we analyze a unique online dating data set from a mobile application, which allows observing the user’s diversity in terms of gender and sexual orientation and their individual and environmental influences. Based on the research streams on impression management, online dating, diversity of gender and sexual orientation we derive hypotheses on similarity and differences in the group behavior. We also analyze how deviations from the group mean behaviors affect the level of self-presentation. Our results give indication that gender research requires a more diverse perspective when analyzing male and female behavior. We find first evidence that deviations from group behavior is emotionally related to the user’s self-presentation, contrary to this the information content shared with other users seems not to be affected. Our results further indicate that individual and environmental influences have an effect on the amount of shared information as well as the emotional level of self-presentation.

Keywords: Impression Management, Online Dating, Sexual Orientation, Dating Platform

JEL Classification: Z10