Rejection Mindset: Why More Matches Can Lead to More Rejections in Online Dating
Tired of swiping despite new matches? There is a growing body of research that shows you aren’t alone in this dating conundrum.
Pronk & Denissen (2020) hypothesized and found supporting evidence that people are more likely to reject potential dating partners when they are presented with increased options. This is known as the “rejection mindset.”
Pronk & Denissen conducted three separate studies. The researchers also found that gender played a role in this rejection. One of the studies showed that women were more likely to reject potential matches when dating online.
It should be noted that the “invited” participants for all three studies were between 18 to ~29/30 (slight variable between studies) and heterosexual. Despite this limitation and lack of inclusivity, this research is helpful in understanding the impacts and effects of dating apps.