Unmasking the veil : the exploration of deceptive self-presentation behaviors highlighted through online dating profiles

This qualitative study examines individuals' experiences with deception in dating applications and focuses on the sense-making of the individuals who have experienced deception firsthand. A major aim of this study was to pinpoint the common deceptive tactics used on Tinder and Hinge and the motivations for users to actively deceive and accept deception. Another goal was to understand an individual's process in deciding to progress or continue a relationship with a romantic partner who originally deceived them through the dating application. Users’ expressed feelings of insecurities, inadequacy, and simple boredom as driving factors for them to deceive on their own profiles or accept deception from others. The study delved into users’ role of partaking in deception within their own profiles, and its effect on various factors such as self-esteem, and users’ future on the apps. The study highlights users’ experiences and reactions to different levels of deception and discusses users’ hesitancy of forming connections and long-term relationships with users who have deceived them. Overall, deceptive self-presentation appeared to lead users to not trust the profiles they were engaging with, causing a ripple effect of other consequences such as decreased relational formation and satisfaction.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Communication Studies

Grantor

The University of Texas at Austin

Year dc:date.issued

2024

Author dc:creator

• Cole, Abbey

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Dailey, René M.

Committee member dc:contributor.committeemember

• Vangelisti , Anita L.

• Deception
• Online dating
• Self-presentation
• Tinder
• Hinge

Language dc:language.iso

English

Identifier URI

https://doi.org/10.26153/tsw/53450

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repositories.lib.utexas.edu:2152/126913