Online dating study blows the lid off scientific matching claim made by some online dating sites

An online dating study released in February, 2012 reveals some pretty interesting research for those of us trying to find a relationship off an online dating site.

Among other things, that I might talk about later, is the fact that the match-making algorithms used by sites like eHarmony haven’t been proven to be effective…

n fact, as far as anyone outside of eHarmony can tell, the algorithms they use are completely bogus.

I’ve suspected this for a long time, but didn’t want to report it because I wasn’t sure.

One of the women I was dating off of eHarmony told me the match-making on there was total b.s. but I’d had some pretty good dates off of eHarmony and like the way it’s set up.

So, I asked her how she knew the matching was fake.

Actually, she found out by accident. She wanted to know how much difference a person’s NAME made when guys responded to her profile.

She set up 2 profiles that were exactly the same except for the name of the girl. One girl she named Sara, the other Agnes.

These profiles were identical. She and answered the questions they give you exactly the same.
She used the exact same pictures.
She had the same must have’s and cant stands…
All of it exactly the same except for the names.

No surprise, but the girl named “Sara” got a lot more responses from guys.

What was a surprise was that after getting over 350 matches, not a single on was with the same guy.

Wait…

Did you catch that?

Two girls who were EXACTLY the same… same interests, likes, dislikes, ages, hobbies, job, income… ALL OF IT THE SAME.

And over 350 “scientific” matches but not a single match was the same.

Sounds like total bullshit to me. But, you know I don’t tell you stuff that isn’t proven or that I haven’t done myself. So I didn’t say anything to you.

But now it’s been shown by researchers at Northwestern University that there is no scientific basis for the match-making on these sites.

The authors write:

Online dating sites are not “scientific.” Despite claims of using a “science-based” approach with sophisticated algorithm-based matching, the authors found “no published, peer-reviewed papers — or Internet postings, for that matter — that explained in sufficient detail … the criteria used by dating sites for matching or for selecting which profiles a user gets to peruse.” Instead, research touted by online sites is conducted in-house with study methods and data collection treated as proprietary secrets, and, therefore, not verifiable by outside parties. Source

Now, understand that I actually like eHarmony. They are one of my favorite online dating sites. I like the way the site is set up where you can take your time meeting someone.

And the way the matching is set up, bullshit or not, I am only competing with a woman’s 7 new matches for the day. Not the perceived millions of guys on other dating sites.

eHarmony makes people slow down a little and actually take a look at the people they are matched with. And in some cases I’m sure that since people believe they have been scientifically matched with someone, they are more likely to give that person a chance.

Okay, talk to you later. JT out.

p.s. For more eHarmony b.s. click here.