An experimental study on the role of sociosexuality in judgements of perceived trustworthiness in a mobile dating-like interface

Photo filters have become a pervasive strategy to obtain approval in social media and mobile dating apps. Postulating that sociosexuality is a major predictor of reactions to photos in apps, we assessed whether individual differences in unrestricted sociosexuality shape the perceptions of faces mani...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Canadian journal of behavioural science 2024-08
Main Authors: Olivera-La Rosa, Antonio, Chuquichambi, Erick G., Ingram, Gordon P. D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Face Perception
Female
Human
Judgment
Likability
Male
Physical Attractiveness
Sociosexual Orientation
Trust (Social Behavior)
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Summary:Photo filters have become a pervasive strategy to obtain approval in social media and mobile dating apps. Postulating that sociosexuality is a major predictor of reactions to photos in apps, we assessed whether individual differences in unrestricted sociosexuality shape the perceptions of faces manipulated using photo filters. We conducted an online study ( N = 218, 145 women; M age = 25.43 years, SD = 8.72) in a Colombian sample to assess whether exaggerated and subtle photo filters applied to faces (varying in attractiveness) influenced trustworthiness judgements and liking behaviour in a picture-based mobile dating-like interface. Data were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models in R. Our results showed that unrestricted sociosexuality (a) predicted higher judgements of perceived trustworthiness based on the face; (b) decreased liking for nonattractive faces; and (c) increased liking for faces with a subtle photo filter and with no filter, but decreased liking for faces that applied an exaggerated photo filter. Furthermore, we found that (d) relative to faces with no filter, subtle photo filters increased “liking” responses and (e) unattractive faces were rated as less trustworthy and less “liked” than neutral and attractive faces. The finding that sociosexuality shapes judgements of perceived facial trustworthiness in an app-like interface allows us to identify a psychological predisposition towards trust that may constitute a risk factor in online contexts. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)
ISSN:0008-400X
1879-2669
DOI:10.1037/cbs0000423