The Science Of Online Dating

TIMES ONLINE - Apr 11 - Relationship science is an increasingly respectable field of academic study. Dr Gian Gonzaga and his team at the eHarmony Labs promises to match its customers using its patented 29 dimensions of compatibility, including sexual passion, anger management, appearance, intellect, obstreperousness, spirituality and emotional health. Other dating sites also employ complex algorithms based on psychometric testing, such as PerfectMatch, Chemistry, Plentyoffish, True, Parship and Matchaffinity. They all like to dismiss each other’s compatibility models. Plentyoffish, for example, thinks people should be matched on their differences. The exception is OKCupid, which is strongly against psychometric testing because, according to Sam Yagan, one of the Harvard mathematicians who founded it, “eHarmony’s patronising belief is that they know what’s best and you need help. We believe you know what you’re looking for and put the power in the user’s hands”. The industry analyst Mark Brooks sees psychological testing as an important part of their increasing credibility and market growth. “Internet dating services will get amazing,” he says. “The science will develop.” Brooks believes personality profiling is the future of matchmaking, and agrees with the eHarmony line: “People don’t know what they want. They need help.” FULL ARTICLE @ TIMES ONLINE

See all posts on PerfectMatch         See all posts on True
See all posts on Chemistry.com      See all posts on eHarmony
See all posts on Plentyoffish           See all posts on Parship
See all posts on MatchAffinity         See all posts on OkCupid

Comments

[Mark Brooks]

Its nice that dating sites can help improve and speed up the search and communications process. But ultimately, the greatest area that dating sites can add value is in mate selection. If dating sites can help users 'not fall in love with the wrong person' that should be a huge value for them.

Dating sites will continue to evolve and the science of compatibility and personality profiling will advance more in the next ten years than in the last 200.

[Account Deleted]

"They all like to dismiss each other’s compatibility models."
Good News. They should act as a band of outlaws and kill between themselves.

[Professional Online Dating Service]

The idea of developing the use of all types of testing (whichever model you use) in the dating servies area is very interesting. However, the worrying thing is that this particular industry is not really interested in this type of selection process for altruistic reasons, but just as a revenue generation marketing gimmick. As such they will not be prepared to invest the money in having professionals interpreting the output of these types of tests.

Even though for most of these popular tests you can just press a button to give you a result, there does need to be some sort of analysis of the data for the output to be put to effective use. Just my two cents.

[Randoym Randt]

Mark, I have years of professional experience in psychometric testing, and can tell you that no algorithm will ever be able to predict love. They're placebos at best. So for you to suggest as an "industry expert" that there is value makes me question your affiliations to companies that use them as a marketing tool. It's a highly suspect assumption that romantic compatibility means 'being the same as someone else' on a 'personality test', when in my experience some of the greatest relationships are ones in which you learn and grow from each other's differences.

Anyhow, all of this is pointless chatter, because the future of online dating will go from the static profile-based sites, to a real time video and 3D experiences not limited to location, looks, age, or income. Static online dating with profiles is so very 1996. 8))

[Barb Elgin, MSW, LCSW]

While I'm much more practitioner and business owner than researcher, my gut on this issue is that what is usually true about life reigns here as well - it's not an either/or question. People need help and they think they don't need help. In today's world authority has lost it's unquestioned dominance and that is not all bad.
After all, no expert is god. But, sometimes people don't trust experts enough.

I don't believe all personality testing/profiling is worthless. How do I know no algorithm will ever be able to predict love with some greater-than-average consistency?

Yes, we are moving to a more '3D'ish' experience in the online dating space, however, I think the best solution for the majority would probably be a COMBINATION of well honed methods including testing and real time video and dating, whether that be virtual or, heaven forbid, IN PERSON!

Maybe there are no 'perfect matches', I agree that, after a commitment is made to a relationship, the ones that withstand the test of time are usually a result of how well the individuals weather their differences. But I agree with Mark in that most of us aren't able to choose as wisely as we could. That's what drew me to study and teach the method of dating and relationship coaching I really find helpful - Conscious Dating.

I checked out Randoym's blog and found it chock full of interesting information. Randoym, your passion for the subject matter is extraordinary! Thanks for sharing.