Putting a sexy self forward on Tinder: What do viewers think about sexualized white men?

Daniels, Elizabeth A.; Jerald, Morgan C.; Dieker, Jo Anna

Abstract

Very little is known about viewers’ attitudes toward sexualized portrayals of men on social media platforms. Using an experimental methodology, the present study investigated the effect of a sexualized versus non-sexualized Tinder profile of a young White man on college students’ perceptions of the profile owner. The impact of multiple aspects of sexualization including a self-sexualizing self-description on one’s profile (i.e., interested in casual sex) as well as a sexualizing appearance (i.e., muscular and shirtless) were investigated. U.S. college students (N = 567) viewed a mock Tinder profile and then rated the target’s competence, social appeal, physical attractiveness, and likelihood of engaging in risky sexual behavior. Findings indicate a young White man with a sexualized self-presentation on a dating app may be perceived as less competent and as a sexual risk-taker. These results contribute to the small body of research documenting the impact of self-sexualization on a dating app profile.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 7, 2022
• Online Publication Date: Mar 25, 2022
• Publication Date: Apr 30, 2022
• Deposit Date: Jan 9, 2024
• Journal: Sex Roles
• Print ISSN: 0360-0025
• Electronic ISSN: 1573-2762
• Publisher: Springer Verlag
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 86
• Issue: 7-8
• Pages: 428-440
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-022-01278-1
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/11598444