the information less useful than what you’d get by just asking a few questions.
It’s easy to lie when answering to questions about your personality on e.g. a dating site.
It’s harder, more expensive, and sometimes impossible to lie via signaling, such as via appearance.
So, even though information obtained by asking questions is likely to be much richer than information obtained from appearances, it is also less likely to be truthful.
..assuming the replies are truthful.
Why would anyone bother to send in false data about their finger-length ratios?
I meant that as a comment to this:
It’s easy to lie when answering to questions about your personality on e.g. a dating site. It’s harder, more expensive, and sometimes impossible to lie via signaling, such as via appearance. So, even though information obtained by asking questions is likely to be much richer than information obtained from appearances, it is also less likely to be truthful.
Oh, I see, haha. Yes, that makes more sense, and your point is well-taken.