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Rejection Shapes Similar-Rank Matches on Czech Dating App, Study Finds

A peer-reviewed analysis reveals that spurned aspirational swipes, rather than initial preferences, determine mutual matches on the platform.

A man gestures to his date as she appears bored.
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Overview

  • The study analyzed July 2017 swipes from 2,321 heterosexual users in Prague and 624 in Brno using directed two-mode network methods to rank profile desirability.
  • Men overwhelmingly swipe toward profiles ranked higher than themselves while women primarily target men of similar desirability.
  • Most successful matches emerge between equally ranked users as rejections from higher-ranked profiles redirect aspirational swipes downward.
  • Women’s matching outcomes align more closely with their own preferences, underscoring their leverage in the app’s male-dominated market.
  • The authors recommend that future analyses include queer users and a wider range of dating platforms to test these dynamics further.