Tess van der Zanden

Dr. Tess van der Zanden serves as Assistant Professor in the Department of Languages, Literature and Communication within Utrecht University's Faculty of Humanities. Her research focuses on language use in digital contexts, particularly examining impression formation through online dating profiles. She employs multimethod approaches combining textual analysis, experimental studies, and computational linguistics to investigate how linguistic features affect social perceptions.

Her primary research interests include online communication dynamics, language error impacts in digital interactions, and creativity in profile construction. Van der Zanden's work reveals how metaphor usage, concrete self-disclosure, and grammatical accuracy significantly influence perceived intelligence, humor, and romantic attractiveness. Her studies demonstrate that original yet appropriate profile texts generate higher dating interest compared to conventional or error-ridden content.

Analysis of her publication record shows consistent focus on

• Multimodal impression formation (text+image interactions)
• Relationship goal signaling through language
• Cross-cultural error perception in dating contexts
• Quantitative analysis of rejection patterns
• Computational modeling of profile effectiveness

Her research has generated significant international media attention including coverage in The Guardian, The Times, and De Standaard, with particular focus on how grammatical errors harm dating prospects and how original phrasing increases attractiveness. Van der Zanden teaches courses including Communication, Media and Interaction, and coordinates BA/MA theses in Communication Studies.