How bright and dark personality traits predict dating app behavior

Lennart Freyth de Polo León, Bernad Batinic

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Facilitating looking for a new partner or a hook-up, dating apps are highly popular. Explaining their continuous use and the reflection of personality on behavior we investigated the question whether classically bright or rather dark personality traits influence their use, combining behavioral and questionnaire data. In the analysis the Big Five and the Dark Triad were included and compared; additionally, the motives love and sex and the current relationship status were examined. Predictions were established on whether dating apps were used at all, and their average daily using time; behavioral data allowed distinguishing between the dependent variables. Results (N = 555) suggest that the Dark Triad is a better predictor compared to the Big Five in the context of dating apps for any usage as well as usage time. Narcissism, and the motives love and sex were the most relevant predictors for any usage, and machiavellianism was the only relevant predictor for usage time. Previous findings on the Big Five and psychopathy could not be replicated. Passive selection of narcissists and tactical aspects of machiavellianism regarding usage are discussed. The outcomes support and extend theory on personality-based behavior.
Original languageGerman (Austria)
Article number110316
Number of pages6
JournalPersonality and Individual Differences
Volume168
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2021

Fields of science

  • 501012 Media psychology
  • 501 Psychology
  • 501003 Occupational psychology
  • 501015 Organisational psychology

JKU Focus areas

  • Digital Transformation

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