Many women use dating apps like Tinder or Bumble to confirm their attractiveness rather than find a partner.

Research into our swiping habits found that men use dating apps with an eye for casual sex while girls prefer to use them for an ego boost.

This is because women get a kick out of being perceived as a potential partner by other users, scientists said.

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New research has found that girls prefer to use dating apps for an ego boost while men swipe with an eye for casual sex and short term relationships (stock image)

'Women use dating apps to feel better about themselves more than men do,' said study coauthor Dr Mons Bendixen, from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim.

Lead author Ernst Olav Botnen added: 'Men tend to report a desire for casual sex and short-term relationships as a reason for using dating apps.

'But it should be noted that the myth that men on dating apps are only looking for casual sex isn't accurate.

'Men who use these apps also seek long-term partners, but to a lesser extent than short-term partners.'

Researchers analysed the swiping habits of 641 Norwegian university students aged between 19 and 29.

Both sexes spent about an equal time on dating apps.

Many women use dating apps like Tinder and Bumble to confirm their attractiveness rather than find a partner (stock image)

The popular app Tinder allows users to swipe their screen right when they see a person they like, and swipe left to reject them.

Men were significantly more likely than women to meet up with persons contacted through dating apps, more likely to 'swipe right' and far more likely to meet women in private settings, and far more likely to make contact with matches.

They were also more likely to respond to conversations.

The researchers said in sum men seem to be engaged more in 'hooking up activities'.

Women, by contrast said their main motivation in going online was self-affirmation, in other words to feel good, rather than seeking a committed relationship or sex, the authors said.

The authors said that for both women and men, the most important reason for using Tinder and similar apps was as a diversion - when they were bored, they would take a look at Tinder to see who was there. But then the sexes differed in their reasons.

The research was published in the online journal Personality and Individual Differences.