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ABSTRACT
This study uses an experimental audit design to test how parole disclosure affects online dating outcomes. A Black, a Latino, and a White male online dating profile were created, with the experimental condition disclosing parole in written bios. Results indicate that parole disclosure reduced matches for Black males, increased matches for White males, and had no effect on matching odds for Latino males. Analyses across popular and niche apps indicated that app appeal mediates the effect of parole disclosure on match likelihood. This study has implications for reintegration given the association between long-term romantic relationships and desistance from crime. Exploring the ability of formerly incarcerated men to enter into dating relationships is a necessary first step to this process.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Notes
1. Although the first dating website (Match.com) started in 1995, online dating use experienced exponential growth with the unveiling of smartphones (approx. 2007) and global increases in social media access and use in the early 2000 s.
2. A match indicates mutual interest from two parties. Some apps require matches to take place before communication between users is allowed.
3. Apps such as EHarmony were excluded due to the amount of personal information needed to create a profile. The large number of personal data points requested suggests that the matching algorithm could drastically narrow the sample of potential matches to include only those who are similar in character traits and preferences.
4. The number of users of an app at any given time is not possible to determine. However, pilot tests of online dating apps showed that areas with smaller populations and apps with a narrow user focus could considerably limit the sample size for the current study.
5. The IRB granted a waiver of consent and debriefing.
6. One matched user’s message to a parole disclosing study profile indicated affinity but it is unclear whether her attraction was to the study profile’s honesty, appearance, or other chararteristics: ‘Hello I am melissa.am a woman of my word and i know what is good and what i want for my self. i have gone through your profile and i can see that you are a man of great and good personalities.am really single and looking for soulmate and am not here to waste my time or your time.so if you really serious we can get to talk and know each other better’.
7. Eye tracking has been used to measure the specific locations that males and females direct their gaze when viewing online dating profiles. While men spend more time looking at profile pictures, women spend more time looking at profile information text. For more about the use of eye tracking see: Eraslan, S., Yesilada, Y. & Harper, S. (2013). Scanpath analysis algorithm. eMINE Technical Report Deliverable, Middle East Technical University. http://emine.ncc.metu.edu.tr/deliverables/emine_D5.pdf).
8. It is rare for online dating users to include only one picture in their profile given that study apps allow users to upload anywhere from three to six pictures. Online daters may suspect single photo profiles of being fake. In the Evans (Citation2019) study, multiple matched (male) users either accused (female) study profiles of being fake in messages or asked questions like, ‘are you real?’ Given that male study profiles in the current study received no messages questioning any profile’s veracity, this could suggest that male online daters are more quick to disbelief or more willing to express their incredulity than female online daters.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Douglas N. Evans
Douglas N. Evans is an Assistant Professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University and a Faculty Fellow at the Research and Evaluation Center, John Jay College of Criminal Justice. He teaches college courses at Sing Sing, Queensboro, and Taconic Correctional Facilities in New York and Northern State Prison and East Jersey State Prison in New Jersey. His research focuses on barriers to reentry, including experimental analyses of criminal stigmatization, education programs in prisons and post-release outcomes, mass incarceration and public health, and evaluations of programs that facilitate reintegration. He received his Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from Indiana University.
Anthony Vega
Anthony Vega is the Director of Research and Evaluation at The Community Builders, Inc. His research utilizes quantitative and qualitative methods, such as multivariate statistics, surveys, geospatial analysis, interviews, and ethnography. He has worked on city government funded evaluation projects, most recently on the Mayor’s Action Plan to reduce crime and improve community wellbeing among 15 of New York City’s public housing developments. He received his Ph.D. in Sociology from Washington State University.