What are other examples of superficial judgment that we are more knowledgable about than gymnastics?
Have you ever used a dating app? Or at least seen what a dating app looks like? The general format is, well, photo based.
Dating apps follow rather similar guidelines to gymnasts once they hit the gymnastics floor to compete: both rely heavily on appearance based judgments. Recall the discussion of Naumann et al's study of looking at pictures to identify personality. Tinder falls very heavily into this category of using research to prove the judgment people make quickly when faced with just the physicality of an individual. The core point of dating apps is to allow people within a close radius to see someone, quickly make a decision as to whether you think this person is physically attractive enough for you to pursue, then complete the action of "swiping right" to agree to pursue a conversation with this individual assuming they also "swipe right".
And the "swipe right" mantra has become a rather common saying used by many who are aware of Tinder and its purpose. The term "swiping right" has even simply become a way for people to acknowledge one's attraction by just saying, "I'd swipe right on him/her" when they encounter someone with an acknowledgeable level of attraction.
I am going to use Tinder as an example to look at how people use appearance judgments to, well, judge others. Having previously encountered my section on gymnastics judging of appearance, keep in mind some of the attraction-only based judgments provided there and the attraction-based judgments that emerge from dating apps.
I made a Tinder account to look into the general guidelines of creating a Tinder and the steps you are to complete in order to build a viable page. Never having done this before, I expected the general guidelines of creating any profile. I knew my name would need to be included, my age, gender, and probably a picture. But apparently, not just any old picture.
I needed to include "my best picture".
And what was my best picture? I have some from gymnastics meets. Guys have got to like gymnasts, right? I have a headshot I took at a career fair. I have a picture with a vodka soda in my hand--maybe they would appreciate my transparency of showing that I'm fun! But, that isn't sexy enough. We take pictures when we go out in college, so maybe one of those? Or one without a drink, I guess?
I am going to call Tinder's little "best pic" distinction as the Tinder BP, or the TBP if you will. Just for the sake of not having to write out "Tinder's best pic" every single time.
Why would Tinder ask users to include a TBP that they feel best describes them?That highlights what they think are their best qualities? This is automatically asking other Tinder users to rate the photo they stumble upon as what this new user feels is the TBP of them to share with others.
It is also a requirement to include a picture of yourself on Tinder in order to continue building up your profile. Physical appearance becomes a distinguishing factor of the person's profile and an automatic defining factor to other users.
I tried to click out of the "add pic" section without adding a pic, and I was declined. Because an image is a requirement to Tinder or else you cannot enter.
My TBP to me could definitely not be my TBP to others. When I think of my TBP, I think of a photo where I am genuinely happy. I am smiling and enjoying a moment I know was a moment filled with bliss. But without context, how would anyone else know the value of this picture to me? All they're looking for in this TBP is my physical attributes. So it hit me, what would be the most physically appealing TBP, but not the most psychologically appealing TBD?
DING DING DING!!!!
We had a date party this year and I wore a rather tight dress that outlined my body in a pretty expository way. But to others, like the male species on the hunt for prey, this TBP is the key component of success.
I chose a photo from our date party of me and my good friend. Both of us look very put together, but are indeed wearing a tight and form fitting dress that outlines our bodies. This photo is conforming to the idea that a TBP needs to be a picture that quickly allows the viewer to make a judgment about my physical appearance.
Much like in gymnastics, a Tinder profile is based on appearance. A TBP becomes its own floor routine; it includes skill (what you wear and how you present yourself in the pic), smiles and playing up to the judges (facial expressions) and no real personality description (gymnastics judges and TBP judges simply don't know (or care really) who you are as a person).
The connection between human judgment on the basis of dating apps and numerical judging in sports is much clearer than we may have thought.
What score would you give a TBP?
Clearly Tinder isn't a sport (or if it is, I want nothing to do with that), but if it were, it would definitely consist of similar rules and regulations to gymnastics. The unspoken rule of time with Tinder (not taking forever to "swipe right" on a potential match) and the numerical subconscious associated with the decision making process mirrors that of gymnastics. Is she a 9.7? What did you take the 0.3 off for? Boob size? A pimple on her forehead?
Drawing from Naumann et al, this brief TBP experiment and the use of Tinder in general conforms directly to their findings. Personality is assumed based off of appearance. The former explains the latter. And ultimately, the decision to pursue communication with a stranger is based off of what they feel their TBP is and how it represents them as a person. And without knowing a single piece of information about that person, we now make the judgment of what we believe they are like based off of how they present themselves on a dating app.
And based off of what I feel TBP encompasses as a concept, I feel that a TBP is essentially the culmination of what Naumann et al and my analysis of judging in gymnastics entail. A TBP is a gymnastics routine. So, by that logic, I have provided an equation.
TBP + sport = Gymnastics
Because to me, gymnastics is the sport version of a TBP. It is all a physical battle of attraction and aestheticism.
But now that this connection has been made, what's the point? Good question!!!