Male Tinder users 'think they can use unattractive women however they want', research suggests

Researchers at Manchester Metropolitan University surveyed male Tinder users in the UK to find out about men's dating habits on the app

Tinder is one of the most popular dating apps in the UK, dividing opinion whether it has revolutionised romance or encourages superficial dating (Vimeo)

Male Tinder users think they are entitled to use unattractive women however they want, new research has suggested.

The study found that men often believe that if they go on a date with a woman who is less attractive than depicted in her dating profile, then they “have a licence to use the woman as they see fit” to compensate for the perceived “breach of trust”.

Sociologists at Manchester Metropolitan University conducted the study by questioning male Tinder users in Manchester and Cheshire about their dating habits. The study primarily focused on heterosexual male-female relationships.

Presenting the research at the British Sociological Association’s conference yesterday, study author and senior lecturer in sociology at Manchester Metropolitan University Dr Jenny van Hooff, said: “Many of our respondents felt let down on meeting a woman and on feeling a visual representation hadn’t been accurate.

“Some of our respondents felt that this breaking of trust was a licence to use their date as they saw fit, thereby speeding up intimacy and undermining it at the same time.”

Dating expert Hayley Quinn told The Independent: “Online dating apps like Tinder inevitably encourage people to judge one another on physical appearance. Due to the perceived abundance of partners online this can also prompt people to be less willing to commit, especially when apps encourage you to ‘keep playing’.

“However, it’s too simplistic to believe that all men are predatory and all women have to fear this. My best advice to anyone wanting to use an app is to be very clear about your own boundaries for commitment and intimacy and to stick to them. If you’re looking to form a relationship then be up front about this and take your time getting to know someone- that advice goes for men and women”, she added.

Since its launch in 2012, Tinder has become one of the most popular dating apps in the UK. The smart phone based app allows people to search through other users near-by and swipe either right or left to indicate whether they are interested in them. Once two people both swipe right, they match and can then contact each other.

Some users say the app has revolutionised online dating by its simplicity and popularity but critics claim it encourages shallow judgements based on peoples’ appearance and promotes casual encounters. Around the world, an estimated 800 million swipes happen every day.

Bored of Tinder? Try Independent dating and find someone special