TY - JOUR
T1 - Creativity, expectancy violations, and impression formation: Effects of novelty and appropriateness in online dating profile texts
AU - van der Zanden, Tess
AU - Schouten, Alexander
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - This experimental study investigates how novelty and appropri- ateness – the two criteria of creativity – affect impressions formed of online dating profile owners. More specifically, it examines how both criteria influence perceived romantic attrac- tiveness, and whether expectancy violations and person percep- tions (i.e., originality and oddness) mediate these effects. Participants (N = 295) were members of a dating platform who were presented with dating profile texts that met one or both criteria: (a) not novel and appropriate, (b) novel and appropriate, or (c) novel and inappropriate. In line with the expectations, results show that novel texts are less expected, and that their writers are perceived as more original and, in turn, as more romantically attractive. Writers of novel and non-novel texts are evaluated as equally attractive though, suggesting that appropriateness is a stronger determinant of romantic attrac- tiveness. That is, novel texts that are inappropriate violate expectations more negatively than those that are appropriate, increasing oddness and, accordingly, decreasing romantic attractiveness. Findings suggest that novelty and appropriate- ness are two important creativity dimensions that explain effects of dating profile texts on impression formation. Moreover, we show that the expectancy violations theory is a useful framework to study creativity and impression formation in online dating.
AB - This experimental study investigates how novelty and appropri- ateness – the two criteria of creativity – affect impressions formed of online dating profile owners. More specifically, it examines how both criteria influence perceived romantic attrac- tiveness, and whether expectancy violations and person percep- tions (i.e., originality and oddness) mediate these effects. Participants (N = 295) were members of a dating platform who were presented with dating profile texts that met one or both criteria: (a) not novel and appropriate, (b) novel and appropriate, or (c) novel and inappropriate. In line with the expectations, results show that novel texts are less expected, and that their writers are perceived as more original and, in turn, as more romantically attractive. Writers of novel and non-novel texts are evaluated as equally attractive though, suggesting that appropriateness is a stronger determinant of romantic attrac- tiveness. That is, novel texts that are inappropriate violate expectations more negatively than those that are appropriate, increasing oddness and, accordingly, decreasing romantic attractiveness. Findings suggest that novelty and appropriate- ness are two important creativity dimensions that explain effects of dating profile texts on impression formation. Moreover, we show that the expectancy violations theory is a useful framework to study creativity and impression formation in online dating.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85180208596&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/15213269.2023.2295526
DO - 10.1080/15213269.2023.2295526
M3 - Article
SN - 1521-3269
JO - Media Psychology
JF - Media Psychology
ER -