Regardless of your narcissism score, it's easy to understand how dating apps can provide an ego boost, and why that might make swiping feel addictive. After all, getting a match is like instant validation that someone finds you attractive, and it feels better and better the more people swipe right on your photos. But being connected to so many potential relationships also messes with your brain. "Having access to such a big dating pool of course also has psychological consequences," Dr. Timmermans says. "Dating apps give users the impression that their dating choices are endless." The old cliché that "there are plenty of fish in the sea," suddenly feels literal. And that can lead people to wonder if they're making the right choice when they settle down with someone, Dr. Timmermans says. "You could even connect this to commitment fear, because you are more likely to think that there might be someone better for you out there," she says. Timmermans and her colleagues learned in their research that a significant number of people who are in committed relationships continue to use dating apps, some to look for casual sex and some simply looking for that ego boost.