Tinder users have 'poorer self image' than non-users

Psychologists claim that both men and women who use Tinder have a poorer self image than non-users.

Scientists asked 1,044 women and 273 men - mostly university students - to complete questionnaires detailing their use.

They were also quizzed about their body image, perceived objectification and psychological wellbeing.

The findings were presented at the American Psychological Association's annual meeting in Denver in the US.

The study shows that users are less satisfied with their bodies and appearance.

Tinder has a reported 50 million active users worldwide and around 10% of participants said they had used the dating app.

While both male and female users reported less satisfaction with their bodies and looks compared with non-users, only men had lower levels of self esteem.

Dr Jessica Strubel, from the University of North Texas, co-led the research and said that because of the way the app works, users were at risk of feeling "depersonalised and disposable".

"We found that being actively involved with Tinder was associated with body dissatisfaction, body shame, body monitoring, internalisation of societal expectations of beauty, comparing oneself physically to others, and reliance on media for information on appearance and attractiveness."

While feeling insecure themselves, they were also tempted to believe something better might turn up with the next swipe of the screen.

The study focused primarily on women and that's why there was a larger number of female participants.

However, the researchers said that men were just as negatively affected by Tinder as women, if not more so.

"Although current body image interventions primarily have been directed toward women, our findings suggest that men are equally and negatively affected by their involvement in social media," Dr Strubel added.

"More research is needed to investigate the long-term psychological effects of social media platforms such as Tinder, she said.

Watch on YouTube: Why we act like animals on Tinder

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