Catfishing: Love and lies online

In this episode, we unpack the psychology and motivations behind catfishing—the act of creating false identities online. We explore how online environments foster deception, how attachment styles and personality traits like psychopathy and narcissism play into catfishing behavior, and what impact this has on victims. Drawing from psychological theories, research studies, and real-world examples, this episode unpacks how anonymity, identity exploration, and emotional needs all intersect in the phenomenon of catfishing.

Whether for attention, control, amusement, or exploitation, the reasons people catfish, and the effects it has, are more complex than you might expect.

Content warning: sexual harassment/image based sexual abuse, manipulation and control, and psychological distress.

 

Support resources:
If you have been affected by the content of this episode in any way, the supports at the link below may be of assistance. If you are not in Ireland, please seek supports local to you. 
Irish Health Service Executive mental health supports

The Samaritans

Pieta House - Suicide and Self-harm Resource

 

Key Papers:

Anderson, A. P., Bryce, J., Ireland, C. A., & Ireland, J. L. (2019). A preliminary review of cyber-deception factors: Offerings from a systematic review. Salus Journal, 7(1), 88-107.

Suler (2004). The Online Disinhibition Effect. Cyberpsychology and Behaviour. 

Mosley, M. A., Lancaster, M., Parker, M. L., & Campbell, K. (2020). Adult attachment and online dating deception: A theory modernized. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 35(2), 227-243.

Lauder, C., & March, E. (2023). Catching the catfish: Exploring gender and the Dark Tetrad of personality as predictors of catfishing perpetration. Computers in Human Behavior, 140, 107599.

Moor & Anderson (2019). A systematic literature review of the relationship between dark personality traits and antisocial online behaviours. Personality and Individual Differences.

 

News stories:

GAA Catfish podcast episodes 1 & 2
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2ADTwa9ipI0plNJA0NgtiB

GAA Catfish podcast episode 3
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5QLi4OZ43Vuopj87kOYoF5

 

Aoibhin's story
My catfishing nightmare: ‘I’m waiting for someone to sit across from me and start a date I don’t know I’m supposed to be on’

 

Adele Rennie
https://bbc.com/news/articles/c4grwglgnxvo