The Reverse Scarcity Effect and Choice Overload in Online Dating

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When you have too many options, like matches on a dating app, it can be overwhelming and make it hard to feel a connection. This is called choice overload, where having too many choices makes it difficult to choose. It's the opposite of the scarcity effect, where limited things are valued more. So even though we might think we want more options, it actually makes it harder for us to make a choice.

The new reality of dating in your 20s is that the majority of us who are single are on the dating apps. Tinder, Hinge and Bumble have completely changed how we approach dating by expanding our options, making dating convenient and accessible and are increasingly becoming the way many of us meet our partners. A study conducted by the Pew Research Centre found that almost half of us between 18 and 29 have used a dating app. Yet, this has also transformed a lot of our offline behaviours towards dating. In this episode we break down the psychology behind dating apps including:

The impact of choice overload
The psychology behind our romantic preferences
The scarcity effect
Seeking validation through dating apps
Dopamine and swipe based dating
Dealing with rejection and dating app burnout

We are also joined by the wonderful Lucille McCart from Bumble who discusses how we can use dating apps to their full potential in our 20s. She explains how we can convert our online matches into real world connections, why you should be the one asking people on dates and the benefit dating people outside of your 'type'. All of that a more. Listen now.

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