Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 19, 2025
04:19
A Computer-Based Platform for Aiding Clinicians in Eating Disorder Analysis and Diagnosis
Published on: May 10, 2022
3.9K
Dating app usage and motivations for dating app usage are associated with increased disordered eating
K Blake1,2, J Portingale1, S Giles1
1Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Redomond Barry Builiding, Level 7, Room 707, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia.
Journal of Eating Disorders
|November 29, 2022
Summary
Dating app use is linked to disordered eating (DE) due to appearance pressures. Motivations like seeking love or self-worth on apps correlate with DE symptoms, suggesting increased risk for eating disorders.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Eating Disorders
Background:
- Dating apps emphasize physical appearance, potentially increasing appearance-related pressures.
- Prior research links dating app use to body dissatisfaction and disordered eating (DE), but neglects user motivations.
- Eating pathology is influenced by traits and motivations, necessitating further investigation in the context of dating apps.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if dating app usage moderates the impact of specific traits on DE.
- To examine the unique effects of dating app use motivations on DE.
- To understand the role of appearance-based rejection sensitivity, fear of negative evaluation, emotion dysregulation, and perceived social rank in DE among dating app users.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 690 participants who completed baseline measures of demographics, traits, and dating app usage.
- Statistical analysis to assess associations between dating app usage, motivations, traits, and disordered eating (DE).
- Examination of moderation effects of dating app usage on the relationship between predictors and DE.
Main Results:
- Disordered eating (DE) was associated with female gender, higher BMI, prior eating disorder diagnosis, appearance-based rejection sensitivity, and emotion dysregulation.
- A positive association was found between dating app usage and DE, indicating higher DE symptoms among users.
- Four motivations for using dating apps (love, self-worth, ease of communication, thrill of excitement) were linked to DE, while casual sex and trendiness were not.
Conclusions:
- Dating app usage may amplify socio-cultural appearance pressures, conferring risk for disordered eating (DE).
- Specific motivations for using dating apps are uniquely associated with increased risk for DE.
- Findings highlight the need to consider dating app use and motivations in understanding and addressing eating pathology.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Anorexia Nervosa
173
Anorexia nervosa is a complex and severe eating disorder characterized by an intense fear of weight gain, an unrelenting pursuit of thinness, and a distorted body image. It often leads to dangerously low body weight relative to an individual's age and height. This disorder is marked by significant physical and psychological consequences, making it one of the most life-threatening psychiatric illnesses.
Symptoms and Physical Effects
Individuals with anorexia nervosa commonly exhibit extreme...
Symptoms and Physical Effects
Individuals with anorexia nervosa commonly exhibit extreme...
173
01:23Binge Eating Disorders
154
Binge eating disorder is a significant mental health condition characterized by recurrent episodes of excessive food consumption within a short period, accompanied by a perceived loss of control over eating behavior. Unlike occasional overeating, binge eating disorder is marked by distressing emotions such as guilt, shame, and anxiety following binge episodes. The disorder affects individuals across different ages and backgrounds, with profound implications for physical and psychological...
154
01:30Bulimia Nervosa
178
Bulimia nervosa is a complex and severe eating disorder characterized by a cyclical pattern of binge-and-purge eating pattern. It generally involves an episode of binge eating, followed by compensatory behaviors such as vomiting, excessive exercise, laxative use, or fasting, to prevent weight gain. Despite often maintaining a normal weight, individuals with bulimia are intensely preoccupied with their body image and harbor an overwhelming fear of gaining weight. This can contribute to the...
178
01:19Introduction to Psychological Disorders
484
Abnormal behavior, often referred to as mental illness, results from changes in brain function that influence thought patterns, behaviors, and social interactions. Psychologists and psychiatrists typically assess abnormal behavior using three primary criteria: deviance, maladaptation, and personal distress, particularly when these traits persist over long periods.
Deviant Behavior
Deviance in behavior refers to actions or thought patterns that significantly diverge from societal norms or...
Deviant Behavior
Deviance in behavior refers to actions or thought patterns that significantly diverge from societal norms or...
484
02:45Self-Discrepancy Theory
18.4K
One influential perspective on what motivates people's behavior is detailed in Tory Higgin's self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987). He proposed that people hold disagreeing internal representations of themselves that lead to different emotional states.
18.4K
02:16Self-Schemas
31.4K
In general, a schema is a mental construct consisting of a cluster or collection of related concepts (Bartlett, 1932). There are many different types of schemata, and they all have one thing in common: schemata are a method of organizing information that allows the brain to work more efficiently. When a schema is activated, the brain makes immediate assumptions about the person or object being observed.
31.4K