The Psychology of Catfishing

Social scientists understand many of the reasons why perpetrators catfish. Why do they take the bait?

There are several theories about what motivates a victim to continue a questionable digital relationship. Attachment theory is one of them.

• Victims may struggle to form romantic ties in real life, and thus subconsciously seek to keep potential partners at a distance.
• A study found that having an anxious attachment style - often expressed as clinginess in romantic relationships - was a predictor for being a catfish target
• Having both high avoidance and high anxiety increased the likelihood of being a victim.