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OKCupid experiments with 'bad' dating matches
bbc.com ^ | 29 July 2014 Last updated at 10:47 ET

Posted on 07/29/2014 5:11:43 PM PDT by BenLurkin

Dating website OKCupid has revealed that it experimented on its users, including putting the "wrong" people together to see if they would connect.

It revealed the tests after the uproar over Facebook manipulating the feeds of its users.

"If you use the internet, you're the subject of hundreds of experiments at any given time, on every site," it said. "That's how websites work."

OKCupid said one revelation was that "people just look at the picture".

As well as allowing users to upload pictures and set up dating profiles, OKCupid asks users questions and matches them with potential partners based on the answers.

In one experiment, the site took pairs of "bad" matches between two people - about 30% - and told them they were "exceptionally good" for each other, or 90% matches. "Not surprisingly, the users sent more first messages when we said they were compatible," Christian Rudder, one of the founders of OKCupid, said in a blog post on the company's research and insights blog.

Further experiments suggested that "when we tell people they are a good match, they act as if they are. Even when they should be wrong for each other."

...

In another experiment, OKCupid ran profiles with pictures and no profile text for half of its test subjects, and vice versa for the rest. The results showed that people responded solely to the pictures. For potential daters, Mr Rudder said that "your actual words are worth… almost nothing".

(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...


TOPICS: Computers/Internet
KEYWORDS: singles
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To: BenLurkin

sending people on bad dates on purpose??

weird


21 posted on 07/29/2014 6:17:43 PM PDT by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans)
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To: Osage Orange
They are both professionals and met on FB...

Good for them.

And I mean that. There are very few success stories, so I do truly congratulate them.

Congrats on being an ass.........

Thank you very much...I work very hard at being one, and I'm glad to know it's recognized.

You idiot...you have no idea what/who/where I am or am not...this is the damned internet...for all you know I could be obama.

Grow up and grow a little thicker shell.

22 posted on 07/29/2014 6:19:11 PM PDT by OldSmaj (obama is a worthless mohametan. Impeach his ass now!)
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To: BenLurkin

“OKCupid said one revelation was that “people just look at the picture”.

That’s a big duh!! Lets see who do I pick the Ryan Gosling look a like or Urkel? :-)


23 posted on 07/29/2014 6:29:27 PM PDT by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose o f a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped.)
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To: OldSmaj

Then who are the ones using Craigslist?


24 posted on 07/29/2014 6:34:02 PM PDT by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans)
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To: BenLurkin
What a bloody surprise. (/sarc)

Listen, I don't care HOW "compatible" some prospective match appears to be. I've said it many times before and anyone who thinks about it for a moment will recognize the one simple truth about it:

She may claim to be "greatly compatible" or a "very good match", but if she looks like Leonid Brezhnev with or without makeup and a red dress, there's not going to be ANY interaction other than her observing the cloud of dust I leave behind as I scramble hastily away as far as possible.

25 posted on 07/29/2014 6:34:11 PM PDT by Utilizer (Bacon A'kbar! - In world today are only peaceful people, and the mooslimbs trying to kill them-)
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To: OldSmaj
The only people that go to and use these dating/match sites are losers and perverts, anyway.

That's your opinion, gramps. I've met several very nice girls online. Heck, I've met nice girls in adjoining seating on flights at times, and we've turned out quite well. Still friends with many after our shared experiences.

26 posted on 07/29/2014 6:38:01 PM PDT by Utilizer (Bacon A'kbar! - In world today are only peaceful people, and the mooslimbs trying to kill them-)
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To: GeronL

holy crap... when I moved to a new town 3 years ago I looked at the craigslist personals... I needed boiling bleach on my eyeballs afterwards... in my town it was apparently nothing but 4 faggots trolling each other.


27 posted on 07/29/2014 6:45:55 PM PDT by Rodamala
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To: GeronL
Then who are the ones using Craigslist?

Which ones?

The ones selling something or the ones selling themselves?

After all the horror stories about that, one would think that most people had learned to not trust those personal listings.

If I need a used Bush Hog...no problem.

If I need a used hog...yeah, they got that.

28 posted on 07/29/2014 6:46:20 PM PDT by OldSmaj (obama is a worthless mohametan. Impeach his ass now!)
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To: OldSmaj
Ha!!

You called people that met on-line via the various places...perv's and what not.

And you don't think some folk's like myself might counter you? HA!!

BTW...I'm not an idiot. But I have been an ass now and again...

And no...I didn't think you were Obama..as he would be all for perverts, gay's and peeping tom's...

Don't seem like you are!! Ha!!!

Can't grow up much more...I reached puberty long ago...and my hide is thicker than a blue whale's.

29 posted on 07/29/2014 6:48:40 PM PDT by Osage Orange (I have strong feelings about gun control. If there's a gun around, I want to be controlling it.)
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To: OldSmaj
Fer cryin' out loud, who in their right mind needs to shop the internet for a "compatible" companion?

One perfectly valid reason is that in a small city or town, the quantity and quality of available (as in unmarried) attractive members of the opposite sex are quite limited. Unless you are one of those who just don't care who they wind up sharing their lives with and the lives of any offspring.

I've even met a few here on FR that are really nice girls, and we have shared thoughts of meeting up sometime if we end up flying out in each other's direction hopefully soon.

The internet is a wonderful thing, and you can meet people very far away from your hometown with little effort. I even know this very nice woman from Newfoundland that I met online from many years ago. Very attractive, and she has a good friend that is drop-dead gorgeous -but unfortunately already has a boyfriend.

Lots of friends from around the world as well -not that you would care, I gather, since your worldview appears to deliberately end at armslength only.

I kind of wonder why you bother posting on FR, if your only concerns are local and personal.

30 posted on 07/29/2014 6:49:52 PM PDT by Utilizer (Bacon A'kbar! - In world today are only peaceful people, and the mooslimbs trying to kill them-)
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To: OldSmaj

the personals section

eye bleach comes in handy


31 posted on 07/29/2014 6:52:06 PM PDT by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans)
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To: Utilizer
...gramps...

WTF?

For your information, I'm a 26 year old female with strawberry blond hair, 36C-24-36, about 5'10" and 135 lbs.

Send me your address on Freep Mail and I'll send you a picture of myself and my phone number.

I've just recently inherited over $600,000.00 and I need someone to help me invest it, preferably an older, married man.

Interested?

32 posted on 07/29/2014 6:52:08 PM PDT by OldSmaj (obama is a worthless mohametan. Impeach his ass now!)
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To: Rodamala

lolz


33 posted on 07/29/2014 6:52:17 PM PDT by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans)
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To: OldSmaj
The sites hurt much more than they help.

Only for those that approach them with an ill-looking smirk and wonky attitude.

Hope I never meet you at a pub. I don't need another killjoy pacing about and taking the fun out of meeting the ladies.

34 posted on 07/29/2014 6:53:07 PM PDT by Utilizer (Bacon A'kbar! - In world today are only peaceful people, and the mooslimbs trying to kill them-)
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To: OldSmaj

*shicker* Thanks, I needed a good laugh after your recent ramblings.


35 posted on 07/29/2014 6:56:03 PM PDT by Utilizer (Bacon A'kbar! - In world today are only peaceful people, and the mooslimbs trying to kill them-)
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To: OldSmaj

My spouse of nearly 20 years answered my personal ad. Granted, it was the old-fashioned dead-tree variety, but it does work sometimes.


36 posted on 07/29/2014 7:07:03 PM PDT by Gideon7
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To: OldSmaj

Met a great lady on Match in 2006. We dated for six years.

Have had two shorter-term relationships in the past year from OKCupid and eHarmony, and recently began another eH one which I think could possibly go the distance. She is lovely, smart and beautiful.

I like these sites because I live in a rural area and there are not a lot of women around here that appeal to a professional who would prefer a woman with at least a college degree and preferably not with kids. Additionally, the bar/hookup scene never appealed to me, and writing is my strength, so it gives me a good way to introduce myself, as I sometimes don’t come across fantastically in person.

It is what you make of it. If you go looking for losers and perverts, you’ll probably find them. But there are very quality people out there looking for long-lasting relationships.


37 posted on 07/29/2014 7:13:44 PM PDT by pleasedontzotme
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To: pleasedontzotme
If you go looking for losers and perverts, you’ll probably find them.

The problem is that there are so many fakers that know that, now.

I am truly glad for you...that it worked out for you.

I guess the point that I failed to make is that face to face matchups are nearly infallible...whereas, the internet is full of fake lonely hearts and getting fuller every day.

Yes, I know that is poor grammar...especially coming from a Professor of English Literature, as am I.

See what I mean?

38 posted on 07/29/2014 7:28:32 PM PDT by OldSmaj (obama is a worthless mohametan. Impeach his ass now!)
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To: OldSmaj
May I ask, has this been a recent occurrence or was it more in the infancy of the internet, when it wasn't full of trolls, Ponzi architects, sexual predators and just general low lifes, like it is now?

In 2011, my current Wife and I met on a singles site and are still going strong.
Turns out that we knew each other 28 years prior to our meeting up again.
We went to school together back in '83.
To this day, she has been the best thing that's ever happened to me.
Plus, she's a damned good shot.
(She hated guns before she met me)
I paid for her concealed carry class (Christmas 2013) and license (received in the mail in July 2013), and bought her a Springfield XDs .45 (for her Birthday in April, 2013).

(She still needs work on, "Limp-Wristing," though)

She absolutely loves the fact that I wanted her to have the power, ability and choice to be able to take care of herself.

My making that happen was proof positive that I wanted her to be her own person -something lacking in a lot of relationships these days.

There are SO many people who find someone that they want to hang out with, then when they start to get series, want to try to shape and form their significant other to be the person that they want him/her to be.

What's the freaking point?!?!
You were attracted to him/her for a reason, weren't you?
Let that expierience grow and fester.
Let it thrive!


She now takes care of my 2 little Sons as a Stay-At-Home Mom while I run off to get to work in the wee hours of the morning to pay the bills.

Being a Stay-At-Home Mom just happened to be the life that she's always wanted.

We're always talking with each other, and never get bored with each other emailing, calling and texting at least once per hour when I'm away from her hunting down gun parts, fishing, swimming, or at work.

The internet is the modern version of meeting people in a church or at grocery stores.

When times change, adapt.
39 posted on 07/29/2014 7:49:13 PM PDT by RandallFlagg (Uninstall Fascist Firefox. Get Pale Moon.)
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To: BenLurkin
OKCupid said one revelation was that "people just look at the picture".

They had to do a study to figure that out?

40 posted on 07/30/2014 2:57:33 AM PDT by PlasticMan
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