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Post by Admin on Aug 9, 2016 12:10:13 GMT -4
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Michael Sorrenti (MS3) - UMHS
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Post by Michael Sorrenti (MS3) - UMHS on Aug 9, 2016 15:12:52 GMT -4
What a big surprise, an app that selects people based on their looks is either attracting people with self-esteem/appearance issues or causing them.
If the purpose is the app is to select someone from the opposite sex (or same, it doesn’t matter) based on how they look, of course it is going to make people more self conscious about how they look. Isn’t this what the person swiping is doing as well? If they accept better looking people then its only natural to think that people will only select them if they appear attractive as well.
If indeed this app is attracting people with self-esteem issues instead of creating them, then it seems like a place to project their own insecurities by observing/identifying them in others when they select who they are going to accept. Like the article says, this will just lead to a downward spiral.
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Raghda AL Anbari (MS4)
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Post by Raghda AL Anbari (MS4) on Aug 9, 2016 17:38:30 GMT -4
And again another app that increased the rate of anxiety, people already suffering from a lot of stress in their lives, and simply these apps are a new way to get more stress for both genders. People are posting their pictures, waiting for somebody to check in or send a message stating that they are attractive, and when some of them got rejected, they took it seriously and that will affect their life negatively, for sure that will make them more anxious about the way they look, so it's not surprising that the people who used this kind of app have a low self-esteem.
According to the research, they had mentioned that app’s users tended to have lower self-esteem; this doesn’t necessarily mean that the app is causing it. It could be just as likely that people with lower self-esteem are drawn more to these types of apps. But I am not sure if this fact is totally correct, I may agree that people who used those apps are having low self-esteem but I also think the use of these apps will increase anxiety levels in some people, this because of the negative thoughts that those people will develop about themselves.
In general, we can say that when they use any of these current social media platforms or apps, they are putting themselves out there for potential evaluation and criticism of their looks and bodies, this might be because they are looking for a way to increase their self-esteem by seeing some people attracted to them. I am looking for some new data talking about how this app affects people’s life.
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Post by Bimel Thomas (MS3) on Aug 9, 2016 17:52:02 GMT -4
Both the article and the APA study were interesting reads, and DEFINITELY made me think of a few people I know…
While the general results indicating negative body image/appearance aren’t super unexpected, I found it interesting to see that males specifically reported the lowest levels of self-esteem as a consequence of using Tinder, especially in a study directed towards women (1,044 women vs. 273 men questioned.) In an area that has typically been female dominated for the past 40-50 years according to Trent Pietre, this could be the start of a new trend in mental health. It seems that involvement in any/all types of social media (Facebook, Instagram, whatever really) has introduced a culture of comparison in young people and the negative impacts are beginning to be seen, as illustrated by the APA’s new data. One thing that might be beneficial to see in the future is a study that explores associations with more concrete diagnoses, like that of body dysmorphic disorder.
Although the question of causation/correlation does exist with this study, it discusses a topic pertinent to the millennial generation that will probably gain more ground in coming years, and hopefully more dedicated research leading to prevention and treatment of body image issues.
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Post by Lauren Eppert on Aug 9, 2016 18:37:28 GMT -4
Though the research reported is externally invalid due to a small sample size and limited geographic variety, I would argue that the results are likely accurate. It is fairly intuitive that websites, chatrooms, and apps that allow people to post pictures, communicate behind a screen, and feign a fabricated identity would not only attract people with low self-esteem and self-worth, but it would likely worsen these feelings as well. People are often prone to vocalize feelings or opinions that they wouldn't say face-to-face or even over the phone via technological text because the responses are avoidable and the confidence that the interaction requires is minimal. Additionally, the reason many people are attracted to apps like Tinder is because they are seeking the instant gratification of the virtual compliment when people match with them. Acquiring a match may be seen as flattering and may cause the app user to feel valued; however, learning that another user may have “swiped-right” reinforces the doubts and ill perceptions, perpetuating the original problem.
As Michael noted, this isn’t too big of a surprise. I would however, be interested to see the break down of psychiatric diagnoses within a larger population of the app users – Depressed? Bipolar? Histrionic? Borderline? Narcissistic? Are the patients diagnosed after extensive time using the app, or did they have these conditions prior? How do those results pan out?
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Post by Nisha Sheth on Aug 9, 2016 18:58:35 GMT -4
Even if there is limited research on the effect of apps like Tinder, I’m pleased to see that it is finally becoming a topic of conversation. I don’t believe there is anything wrong with some dating apps, as I know people who have been successful in finding someone using one. With Tinder, users usually make split second decisions only based on the person’s physical appearance. Obviously if someone does not get very many “right swipes” or matches, I understand how their self-esteem could be affected. It’s like the idea of “not judging a book by its cover” is no longer a teaching.
Like the article said, body image interventions have mainly been geared towards women, but it isn’t surprising to me to see that men are also being affected as well. With social media being such a huge part of society these days, I agree that more research is needed on why/who is using these apps and what the potential consequences are from unlimited involvement with all types of social media.
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Post by Anjani Singh on Aug 9, 2016 22:04:19 GMT -4
Society is based on several concepts, but what we humans tend to focus on most is outer beauty. It is what we see at first glance and how we judge a person. That age old saying "Don't judge a book by its cover" is truly neglected in today's society of the massive social media explosion. I agree that Tinder is not the cause of this, it mostly, if not all, platforms of social media, because it shows up a person at first glance and not a person as a whole. As unsurprising as it is that both genders reported lower self esteem after using the app, sometimes these kinds of apps can actually allow people to message anyone that they want without a lot of judgement because there is no written agreement that they may or may not meet, possibly even boosting their self confidence talking to people they would normally think is out of their league with more ease. I do understand that this article is specifically pointing out that outer appearance and the pictures that are posted on Tinder is what is causing the lower self esteem, but the messaging portion is something to definitely consider in a follow up study in the future. It would be interesting to find out if that portion may cause an increase in self confidence. That is also a pro and con of social media. Outer appearance is filtered as well as the messaging. Nothing is true anymore and people are basing all this on fact, when in fact, majority of it is not. It is no wonder why we have to only post the good and hide the bad. It's difficult to even understand a person fully based on a full Facebook profile because it overshadows all the bad, and how can anyone know anyone without knowing both sides. This was an extremely enlightening article and should really make us all think about how we view ourselves on social media and how we should break that mold.
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Kimber Johnsen (MS 4)
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Post by Kimber Johnsen (MS 4) on Aug 10, 2016 10:05:06 GMT -4
This article and study does not surprise me at all. The entire purpose of the apps like Tinder is to pick people based on your looks so I can easily imagine how one not getting many positive swipes will affect ones self-esteem. To me this app is more of a popularity contest than a real way to meet someone, though I do know of a success story with Tinder resulting in a dating relationship.
The biggest problem behind Tinder is that people are expecting to meet potential significant others while hiding behind a computer or phone screen. This leads to some of the same issues that are seen on dating websites. How can you know that the picture of the person you are swiping yes to is really a picture of the person behind the account? This can lead to even lower self-esteem if you ever meet this person face to face and find out that they lead you on under false pretenses especially if it was one of the only people to swipe yes on your picture.
Additionally, people are determining if this is a potential mate based solely on a single picture without any other information about who the person is and what he/she enjoys doing. At least on a dating website there is an entire profile about the the person letting learn a little more about them (if the information is true or not is a complete different story).
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Post by Roop Waraich (MS3) on Aug 10, 2016 20:02:40 GMT -4
This article shows the state of the society we live in, were everything is fast paced, and majority of people only have time for superficial aspects. Tinder is basically a way of advertising one's self, and in doing that, always leaves something ti be improved upon. The accessibility of the app means that there is always a large volume of users (50 million and counting) meaning, users never know if someone better is around the corner, or in this case around the next swipe right.
The self esteem issue comes into play there, where users, if one day they do not get many matches, or no matches, may begin to question their flaws, and really delve into their insecurities. Also, when swiping, more often than not, what grabs attention to the user, is the looks of the person. So they are judging a book by the cover, and when done chronically, that mindset an also transfer into real life situations.
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Post by Brandon Brooks MS3 on Aug 10, 2016 21:09:54 GMT -4
Tinder and Self-PerceptionSocial Media is creating a lot of mental health issues for several individuals. Many people join these apps to be apart of a "bandwagon", but they don't realize the negative effects that these websites pose on their self-esteem and image. Tinder was designed to make dating and casual relationshsips easier, but it's not doing it's job. I'm surprised that people are experiencing negative self image, because these apps don't involve face-face contact, but rather messaging. This method should alleviate the social pressure of conversating with someone in person, but it doesn't. Dating is not about keeping a tally of how many people approve of your appearance, but it's about moving forward and finding the right match. These articles clarify many misconceptions and insecurities that males and females perceive about themselves, while using dating sites. These particular apps cause a univeral dilemma ,and not a problem confined to one human being. |
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Post by Aaron Boren MS4 on Aug 11, 2016 0:14:19 GMT -4
This is an interesting topic, and given the large number of users on Tinder (50 Million!) it is definitley worth researching further. I think anyone using this app would eventually develop a hightened sense of awareness of how others percieve them and in turn how they percieve themselves. And depending on which way the swipes are going may lead to an increased negative self perception. I agree with Lauren that even though only one geographic population was surveryed the results are most likely generalizable across most locales.
It would be interesting to see the data on a larger study population and also a study following non-users over time to see if there is an association between low self esteem and eventual tinder or similar site membership. It would also be interesting to see data on subgroups by age, given that the study population surveryed only makes up less than half of tinder users.
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Post by Jackson Nguyen on Aug 11, 2016 13:10:19 GMT -4
Tinder is an app that forces people to judge people based on looks and a short witty bio. It isn't a surprise that low self esteem would play a large role on the people that actively participate on the site. The article does give a good reasons for why the writers believed there is a good correlation between self esteem and tinder, but it isn't a very scientific study. There are many factors that cause many bias and makes it more of fluff article and not science based.
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Post by Dan Nguyen MS3 on Aug 11, 2016 14:00:48 GMT -4
I think Tinder is just like any other forum in which you can judge people with anonymity. In any case where you can talk about someone or make a judgment on somebody without any regard for the real person behind the profile or keyboard is dangerous. I think everyone has insecurities, and sites like this, where you are putting yourself out there, you feel more vulnerable and that can cause you to more easily those insecurities. I don’t think sites like Tinder are causing people to have more insecurities about their bodies, but it is causing them to focus on them more and more.
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Post by Mayur Makwana on Aug 11, 2016 21:28:31 GMT -4
The question of the day is “lack of pride leading to prejudice or prejudice leading to lack of pride?” In reality both goes together. Now as stated in the article, it is a question “whether this application caused low self esteem or people with low self esteem are prone to use this app” I believe that an app can not be the only factor to cause low self esteem. My logic is that people who are lonely, without the support of family and friends are likely to get deceived by random people who rate them in the app. On the other end, people with support from family and friend are less likely to be affected. The participants in the study were mainly undergraduate students going through adolescent phase of their life (age 18 and 19). Individuals from this age group may not be fully mature considering their understanding of their role in life and society. It is also possible that if they are followed up for the next 5 years they might not feel the same low self esteem. Something I would take from this article is that as a responsible mature adult we need to create an atmosphere that would give unbiased opportunity to those around us to reveal and master their true inner potential.
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Post by Prashanthi on Aug 12, 2016 3:54:26 GMT -4
If a person defines their self worth based on a matter of swiping right or left, there is no surprise in noticing the increasing incidence of low self esteem and image due to usage of certain apps. This is not to say that everyone who uses Tinder falls under this category, as the study stated at millions of people use the app. Apps like Tinder, often prompt a person to focus on their physical traits as they are putting themselves out there, naturally there would be more time and thought spent into displaying the "best" picture or selfie they have, with filters and enhancements and every possible modification that makes them believe would be more appealing to others on the app. There are millions of other users to compare themselves to and the possibility of not being satisfied with their appearance can exist. Self worth and self esteem is beyond a pretty/handsome picture, its about multiple facets and aspects of who you are. How will it be possible to explore such options, if millions of people attempt to contact behind the screen of a phone or computer.
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