Internet: Online Dating

Deceptive Self-Presentation

People self-present and exaggerate or even fabricate traits or skills to create their desired impression. The probability of disingenuous self-presentation increases when the pressure to self-present is high. Interacting with a member of the opposite sex, particularly an attractive one, increases motivation to self-present.

These and other patterns of deceptive self-presentation have been observed in dating contexts. It is more common for men to self-present to desirable potential dates than it is for women, according to research by W. C. Rowatt and colleagues. Research also shows that men and women deceptively exaggerate different characteristics in the context of online dating. In research published in 1991, W. Took and L. Camire asked college students to indicate their willingness to attract a mate using deceptive self-presentation. Men were more willing to use deception to appear dominant, resourceful, and kind. Women were more willing to present their physical appearance as more desirable than it actually was. Overall, the research on dating deception indicates that both the situation and gender of the self-presenter impact the outcome.

Deception Online

There are many differences between CMC and face-to-face (FTF) communication. These differences fit into four general categories: relative anonymity, reduced importance of physical appearance, attenuation of physical distance, and greater control over the time and pace of interactions.

[Page 530]The most relevant to a consideration of online dating deception is the relative anonymity present in many forms of CMC. Being relatively anonymous in an online social interaction can reduce accountability and may produce depersonalization and deindividuation in the online interactants. Thus, anonymity enhances the probability of behavior such as deception.

Also germane to online dating deception is the decreased importance of physical appearance online. This may also likely increase deception because people can claim to look like whomever they want. The decreased focus on nonverbal cues relative to FTF interactions may also facilitate greater use of deception, as the lack of nonverbal cues produce a feeling of anonymity in people. The greater control over the time and the pace of CMC interactions is also relevant to dating deception, as this feature of CMC enhances selective self-presentation online. Overall, the features of CMC reviewed above each contribute to a greater likelihood and opportunity for individuals to engage in deception in online situations such as dating.

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