Effects of physical attractiveness and level of socioeconomic status on perceived trustworthiness of online dating profiles

• Main Author: Ang, Shi Yuan
• Other Authors: Chen Shen-Hsing Annabel
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2015
• Subjects: DRNTU::Social sciences::Psychology
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/63425
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Despite the rise of Internet love scams in Singapore, there is a lack of research on this subject. This study therefore explores how perceived trustworthiness is associated with physical attractiveness and socioeconomic status of online dating profiles, exploring also gender differences. 90 participants residing in Singapore participated in the study, with 80% being students. An Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) analysis revealed three findings. Firstly, physically attractive profiles were perceived as more trustworthy for both genders, F(1, 712)= 49.27, p< .001, η2 =. 065. Secondly, high socioeconomic status profiles were perceived as more trustworthy for both genders F(1, 712)= 12.17, p < .001, η2 =. 018. Thirdly, profiles that were perceived to be both physically attractive and high in socioeconomic status were only perceived to be more trustworthy in the Rotter’s Interpersonal Trust Scale, F(1, 712)= 6.97, p= .008, η2 =. 010 but not in the Specific Interpersonal Trust Scale. Independent T-test analyses revealed that male participants perceived physically attractive female profiles as more trustworthy, t(382)= 5.22, p < .001, d= 1.13 and that female participants only perceived male profiles that were of high socioeconomic status as more trustworthy in the reliableness subscale, t(334)= 2.31, p = .022, d= 0.25. These findings may provide law enforcers with information to better understand this crime and educate the public of such Internet love scams.