Dating Profile Picture Myths, Busted

To find Mr. Right online, make sure your dating profile pic is a smiley one, right? Wrong. Dating site OKCupid.com reviewed 7,000 photos uploaded by love-hungry ladies and gents and analyzed them based on the number of messages and conversations their subjects received. It breaks down the four biggest profile picture myths:

1. You should smile: Not if you're a woman. Making that flirty face to camera gets you attention—so long as you make eye contact. For men, mystery works best; Look away from the camera.

2. Don't use the webcam: Wrong again. For both men and women, self-shot pictures work best. The much-maligned "MySpace shot" (a coy self-portrait shot from above) actually works best for women—even without cleavage.
3. Guys should wear a shirt: Not if you have good abs (somewhere, the boys of Jersey Shore are rejoicing). But do it while you're young: 19-year-olds with six-packs got more attention than their 31-year-old sitemates.
4. Show your face: Not necessary. But if you hide your mug, make sure you're doing something interesting or unusual, like scuba diving. And definitely get a picture before you meet up with someone whose face you haven't seen.

(More profile pictures stories.)