A recent analysis of profile pictures on Grindr show that most people using the site emphasize their physical fitness and bodies indicating that they using it as the Uber of casual sex.
How do we present ourselves on our dating profiles? When we select our photos, what do our selections say about us? What do they say about the app or service we are using?
Are there differences in the way people present themselves? And if so, what are some of the driving forces behind the way people present themselves?
I am a PhD candidate in marketing at Concordia University and I use psychology and marketing theories to help me to try and understand how we choose to present ourselves — or self-market — on dating apps.
The way we do this says a lot about us.
Based on my initial findings, both straight and queer men use “costly signals” to attract a mate. However, the form of their signal differs.
Dating apps — a brief history
Tinder is known as having changed the way people date. But Grindr is actually the first geosocial dating app to hit the market in 2009.
Like Tinder, Grindr is a smart phone app which uses your location to generate potential matches nearby. While Tinder requires two potential matches to “like” each other simultaneously (“swipe right”) to start a conversation, Grindr gives access to any member to start a conversation with another member nearby. Profile pictures of people around you show up on the screen.
Related | Everything You Should Know About Grindr’s HIV Data Problem
Grindr is the largest “networking app for gay, bi, trans and queer people” with 2.4 million worldwide active users. Grindr is most often referred to as a hookup app because men can meet other men for hookups, seemingly meaningless and often anonymous sex, and move on.
It has been suggested the app has helped queer men who want to stay in the closet or those who are too young to go out to gay adult venues.
