Why People Believe Catfish
"Honestly, the main reason I chose to believe in my catfish's lies? It wasn't how convincing my catfish was. It was all about what was going on inside me. I chose to believe. I wanted to believe." (Schulman, 2014, p.46)
The above gives an insight into the psychology behind a person's mental state when they fall into the trap that a Catfish sets. They are trying to fill a gap in their life. Although it may be the Catfish that initiates the contact, it is the hopeful person that lets them in.
"Everyone wants to be in love. You think: 'Finally, it's happening.' So of course you want to believe." (Lamont, 2013)
When looking at it from the hopeful's perspective, it becomes obvious why they missed any 'tell-tale' signs
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Another world, full of 'friends' that make us feel safe... Maybe it makes us feel less vulnerable, but that's only because it's distracting us from the important stuff." (Schulman, 2014, p.175)
It is the distraction from their reality that they enjoy so much when connecting with a Catfish online. They want to have something more exciting than their everyday life, that helps to pass the time and secret, at least for a little while. Studies have shown
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Usually it is the ease of connecting to someone virtually that makes online dating an easier option for the hopeful and;
"Oftentimes, people who have signed up to dating sites have tired of the more orthodox ways of meeting someone. Some are battle-weary; some are cynical; some are vulnerable or heartbroken....It's an explosive combination that often means that folks are prone to believing anything they are told." (Sweeney, 2014)
Figures show that many people fall into online traps with fake profiles, while trying to find a significant other online. According to Smith and Duggan, "Half of online daters have felt that someone else seriously misrepresented themselves in their profile." (2013). Not only that, but the number of people lying online is incredible;
"We did a survey and about 25% of people pretend to be someone else on line.... the variety of people who have been catfished ...There’s a real spectrum there.” (Independent.ie,
And the heart, even in this commercial age, finds a way”(222)—implying that, although not perfect, online romance can work. He evidences his statement by illustrating how online dating “slows things down” (221), “puts structure back into courtship” (221), and “is at once ruthlessly transactional and strangely tender” (221). For example, he describes how couples might “exchange email for weeks or months” (221) when using a dating site, effectively slowing the dating process and adding more structure to courtship. He displays the transactional and sensitive side of Internet dating when he points to Internet exchanges between couples that “encourage both extreme honesty (the strangers-on-a-train phenomenon) and extreme dishonesty, as people lie about their ages, their jobs, whether they have kids and, most often, whether they are married” (222).
This article presents the deceptions of online dating through the users profiles through self-presentation, emotions and trustworthiness.
There is no doubt that recent technological advancements have changed the way humans interact with one another in the 21st century. Through email, text messages, and social networking sites, we are able to get in touch with people all over the world in a much faster and more efficient manner than in previous years. Since modern technology has become such an integral part of our everyday lives, it is certainly not uncommon for two people to meet and connect with each other via the Internet. Members of this relatively new subculture of online daters invest a great deal of time and energy into their romantic affairs. In fact, according to Robert Epstein’s “The Truth About Online Dating,” advertising materials from the largest online dating services suggest that over 50 million Americans are currently using such services, and that they are wholly satisfied with the results (34). Unfortunately, however, the controversial subject of online relationships in modern society is frequently misrepresented by the media. Many films and television shows exaggerate the risks associated with online dating, choosing to highlight extreme examples of lies and deception for the sake of maintaining their dramatic quality. Other forms of media tend to romanticize online dating, consequently giving Internet users unrealistic expectations for their own relationships. Whether it depicts the frightening or idealized side of online dating, popular culture makes a conscious effort to feature sensationalized stories in order to appeal to a target audience that relies solely on entertainment. As a result, the truth about Internet dating is not adequately conveyed, which ultimately results in the public’s distorted image of such online practices.
The fourth reason is sexual-identity anxiety also named sexual maturation disorder. These people are anxious about revealing their true sexual identity. They often had negative experiences in the past where people walked out of them after unveiling the truth about their sexuality. Pretending as a person of the opposite sex or gender identity is a common theme throughout Catfish. The Internet gives the people behind the false profiles a chance to inhabit personas that they may not be comfortable with offline.
There are some really favorable reasons for this strategy as well as some which are not so favorable. On the plus side, it is a fantastic way of screening a person want or does not want to correspond and possibly meet up with. You get a chance to talk with someone before actually doing a face to face meeting which is great so there are less feelings of rejection. You get to usually see pictures of the person you are corresponding with to see if a possible spark ignites between the two. Many individuals also do video chats to make certain that the person they are chatting with i...
The ancient ritual of courtship allowed both genders to seek partnership, but as social norms changed dating became more common among young people. Romantic engagements have almost always been a part of society, but they have also been a source of sorrow. Some want to blame dating sites for the actions of human beings, but even with that factor removed, people would still exhibit unethical behavior. The chances of finding a stable partner depend on the general intentions of the population, but society has developed more efficient ways of finding a partner who does want to settle down. While less romantic than meeting in a bookstore or university, people resort to online dating not only for convenience but for accuracy/ efficiency.
Love has been around since the beginning of time and for as long as romantic relationships have been around; people have tried various ways of meeting one another. The mid-1990s marked the start of online dating and since then has evolved into a much more common method of dating. Online dating is typically taken advantage of in one of two ways. Some people prefer to create their own profile and rely on themselves to choose their mate choice, while others allow the online dating services to create matches between the online subscribers. In a recent study conducted by Pew Research Center they found that one in ten American’s are using an online dating site to help them locate a spouse or a long term partner (Smith 1). Due to the advances in technology in recent years, online dating has developed into a resource that has become culturally accepted and has advanced in many ways, but with that comes mate choice, safety concerns, and the outlook on online dating.
The main reason as to why people catfish came to be insecurity, even if people say they aren’t doing it because they are insecure, it usually means they are insecure. Insecurity is the driving factor for catfishing. Not feeling like you worth, so you create an alter ego so people can like you. A very sad and depressing thing to see. Catfishing is a cultural
Online dating offers chances to people who feel more comfortable behind a screen rather than getting so nervous in front of a person that they are unable to speak. It allows them to interact with someone whom they would be uneasy to speak with in real life. Moreover, in traditional dating first impressions truly matter while online, people have chosen the best for their dating profiles. “People were ready to admit that going on actual "dates" was full of pressure and not very enjoyable. Traditional dating, they pointed out, encouraged an overly formal, inauthentic vibe that ultimately hindered instead of helped their efforts to make romantic connections” (Massa). Many do feel shy to ask the person they are interested in on an official date as they are not actually sure what the other person feels and needs more than the opinion of friends to take a step while asking someone online relieves that stress as the possibility of seeing that person in real life is low along with it messing with the asker’s personal life if it is a
The television series of this show “Catfish” shows us that there are many individuals out there like Angela, who create completely fabricated identities, for many different reasons. Whether it is malicious or a release for the person; It is an escape from reality in most cases. This alerts us to the dangers of social media, and makes us wary of meeting new people online, as all may not be what it seems.
They also pointed out that there are different experience between online dating and traditional dating. Users of online dating can filter the partners by reading the profiles from lots of choices. They need to arrange a time to meet each other in order to have face-to-face communication (9).
Dating really changed in the few last years and meeting people online became not uncommon or just for young people only. But everyone now can use it to find their dates and meet new people.
Catfishing is an internet scam which someone represent themselves to be someone else in the hopes of luring people into romantic relationships. Most catfish create their fake profiles, pull out pictures of others from social network, some catfish even get a separate phone line and create a complete online profile with fake friends. Oftentimes a catfish will go extremes to develop their lie and typically use social network and online dating sites. Why do people go catfishing? It is a variety of reasons; some catfish want to be liked through social network as they have low self-esteem in their normal life, some catfish seek for money or seek to amuse themselves.
Sure, it’s much easier to browse profiles and pictures than try to strike up a conversation in real life. Some people don’t like “putting themselves out there”, and I think we are all afraid of rejection in some form or fashion. Technology helps put that fear of rejection aside. The problem with online dating is that you can’t be positive that the person you’re talking to has good intentions. Some people use online dating sites as a means of facilitating a one night stand or for cheating on their spouse.
Online dating also gives you more choices for a potential significant other. If you go out to a ...