"Love in the Digital Age: Uncovering the Dark Side of Online Attraction As social media continues to revolutionize the way we connect and interact with each other, a new study sheds light on the unseemly tactics people use to attract their crushes online. Researchers have identified two primary strategies employed by individuals seeking to win someone's heart: self-promotion and rival derogation. On one hand, self-promotion involves showcasing one's physical attractiveness or desirable qualities, often through provocative posts or selfies. On the other hand, rival derogation takes a more underhanded approach, involving the spread of gossip or negative rumors about potential competitors for the object of one's affections. But what does this say about our society's values and the lengths to which we'll go to get what we want? Dive into the full article to learn more about the surprising ways people use social media to win over their crushes."
There are two key strategies. Self-promotion, or signaling physical attractiveness or good qualities — think, posting a thirst trap; and rival derogation: tearing down others, discouraging them to compete for your crush — i.e. gossip.
