What Makes a Match? Assessing Photos and Bios on Tinder

Dating apps allow users to evaluate potential matches rapidly based on minimal visual and textual information. While existing studies have examined specific factors influencing desirability in this context, the interaction of multiple traits in shaping digital impressions of others on platforms like Tinder remains underexplored. Results from 105 Italian-speaking participants revealed that, in a Tinder-like environment, women applied stricter selection criteria, showing lower interest in profiles with unattractive photos and placing greater emphasis on trustworthiness, while men adopted a more lenient and flexible approach. These findings reveal how gender and platform experience shape evaluative strategies on dating apps, offering insights into digital social perception and the evolving scripts of online romantic interaction.