According to a new study based on their online dating profile photos, men viewed women with enhanced photos as more attractive but less trustworthy.

The researchers at the University of Connecticut conducted an experiment to gauge how people judged each other. The students who participated in the study were first-year communications students. Their mean age was 19, and the age range was 17 to 36 years old.

The researchers presented 671 volunteers with a single photo that was either casual or enhanced and of a man or a woman.

The experiment only presented each person with one photo and participants were asked a series of questions about it.

It was reported that women who posted an enhanced photo with good angles, good lighting and make-up is considered to be less trustworthy by men. However, women viewed men with enhanced photos as more attractive and more trustworthy.

Lead author Rory McGloin, communications professor at UConn said, "Trust is an important part of any relationship and it certainly plays an important role in the forging of new social bonds in the dating context. Yet, we found an interesting relationship between attractiveness and trust for males who were viewing female profile pictures".

McGloin mentioned that attractiveness of the male served as an aura. Once women find men to be attractive, of the other traits are assumed good as well. Although McGloin isn't a psychologist, he studies how media affects behavior.

McGloin noted that his experiment eliminated 'relative' attractiveness by only presenting each person with one photo and asking them a series of questions about it.

The findings are set to be presented at the International Communication Association annual conference San Juan, Puerto Rico later this month.