E aí, vai dar match? Autoapresentação seletiva e a percepção da atratividade em perfis de aplicativos

Abstract

Nowadays, many people know each other through social networks; moreover, they use those means to search for relationship partners, which has generated a growing demand for applications that facilitate this search. Usually, people elaborate individual profiles with information that are usually pre-selected highlighting positive qualities and characteristics in order to cause good impression (Selective Self-Presentation or AAS). In addition to the pre-selected characteristics, information is also provided that aims to generate confidence in those who analyze the profile, through details exposing their routine or something relevant to their daily life (Warranty Information or IG). The aim of this study is to investigate whether the information presented in relationship application profiles (AAS or IG) affects the perception of university students about social attractiveness, approximation, confidence, and mating value. For that, four stimulus subjects were elaborated based on the combination of high and low levels of ASS and IG. 249 Brazilian university students take part of that research, who evaluated the stimulus-subjects and provided sociodemographic information through an online form (Google forms). The results indicated that profiles with high AAS tend to have lower mating value and a greater social attraction, contrary to the North American sample that indicated that high AAS can reduce confidence and social attraction, by not passing credibility while IG transmits greater confidence among users, the latter being not corroborated in this study. This work broadens the understanding of the dynamics of search for partners in an online platform for relationships before few studies that examine the impression of viewers about the app profile and how this perception can influence actions among users.