What men and women lie about on online dating sites

Online dating continues to gain popularity as a growing number of people from all over the world turn to the internet to search for love. While many young singles find web-based matchmaking services convenient and suited to their modern time-poor lifestyles, older people are turning to internet dating to find companions following a separation or the death of a partner.

However, the popularity of online dating, intense competition among singles and the fact that there is a degree of anonymity to it means some people could be tempted to lie about certain aspects of their lives. In fact, research by online dating site okcupid.com shows height is one of the top three things men lie about on online dating sites, while women are more likely to lie about their weight and build.

The site states that people are two inches shorter in real life and that "almost universally, guys like to add a couple of inches" to their actual height, with many aiming for six feet, an apparent coveted psychological benchmark. "When we looked into the data for women, we were surprised to see height exaggeration was just as widespread, though without the lurch towards a benchmark height," adds the website.

Further research by the site shows that when it comes to online dating, women who are six feet or taller are either perceived to be less attractive to men or are considered too intimidating to contact. A five-foot four inches woman gets 60 more contacts each year than her six-foot counterpart.

Singles on online dating sites also like to lie about how much they earn, but the site states that people are 20 per cent poorer than they claim they are. This apparently "matters a lot, particularly for men", because the website's analysis shows income does affect a person's dating experience. "It's not hard to see where the incentive to exaggerate comes from," states the website, which reveals it is not cool to be over 23 and not have money.

People using online dating sites may also want to know that the more attractive the picture appearing on a profile, the more likely it is to be out-of-date, according to okcupid. It explains that "over a third of the hottest photos on the site are a year old or more. And more than twice as many hot photos are over three years old (12 per cent) as average-looking ones (five per cent)". The website adds: "If you see a good-looking picture of a man over 30, that photo is very likely to be out-of-date".

Although tinkering with details could increase the chances of success in online dating, it could also end up being counterproductive if a relationship blossoms and moves offline. It would be difficult to explain where the inches disappeared to as far as men are concerned or where that extra weight or unshapely body came from for women, so just stick to the truth.

1 comments

Dick Jones
29/02/2012

I don't mind bending the truth somewhat, when it comes to a woman telling me her weight. First of all, I don't ask, as any guy should know that's just rude. Secondly, you should be able to get a good sense of her weight by looking at photos, which in my opinion is mandatory. Attraction is very important, at least initially, to me. If she won't show me a full length picture, then I'll move along. I won't press the issue, just carry on, knowing I won't be attracted to her. Bodies come in all shapes and sizes as we know. So saying 'average' can mean different things to various people.
It's only fair; after all, in your everyday life we see people of all shapes and almost instantly know whether or not there is attraction. I actually get offended when women get all upset over being asked to see a full length picture. Come on....seriously, it's not much to ask and I don't want to waste each others time if there's no attraction. It's not being judgmental, it's called having a preference for certain body types.
Anyway, excuse the rant. Online dating is such a hassle.

 

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