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Online Dating Sites Seek Love's Secret Algorithm

Peer review of jealously guarded formulas proves impossible

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Jan 29, 2008 3:10 PM CST
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(Newser) – Online matchmakers eHarmony and Match.com have staked millions on the idea that they, not you, can best find your perfect match, thanks to their secret algorithms. So do they work? Lots of academics want to know, the New York Times reports, but while the companies yearn for scientific, peer-reviewed findings, they’re reluctant to release their secret formulas.

Each formula was devised by a sociologist or psychologist, and eHarmony has hired more to fine-tune the procedure. eHarmony, which plans to at least release research on its results, claims 2% of last year’s US marriages were eHarmony couples. That’s probably better than pick-your-own-date sites, where fewer than 1% of profile views turn into dates.

Neil Clark Warren, founder of eharmony.com and author of Falling in Love for all the right reasons (pictured) is one of the more prominent gurus of compatibility testing.
Neil Clark Warren, founder of eharmony.com and author of "Falling in Love for all the right reasons" (pictured) is one of the more prominent gurus of compatibility testing.   (KRT Photos)
Meticulous online compatibility testing is a keystone of the eHarmony experience, as well as an increasingly common factor in online dating overall.
Meticulous online compatibility testing is a keystone of the eHarmony experience, as well as an increasingly common factor in online dating overall.   (Shutterstock.com)
If you have someone who%u2019s Type A and real hard charging, put them with someone else like that. It%u2019s just much easier for people to relate if they don%u2019t have to negotiate all these differences, said one researcher, emphasizing the benefits of testing.
"If you have someone who%u2019s Type A and real hard charging, put them with someone else like that. It%u2019s just much easier for people to relate if they don%u2019t have to negotiate all these differences,"...   (Shutterstock.com)
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Rejected by eHarmony - Dear John Letter   (swood0909 (YouTube))
eHarmony.com's commonly seen television spots emphasize the thoroughness of their investigations.   (jahson78 (YouTube))

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marriage • romance • online dating • eHarmony • Chemistry.com • Match.com • matchmaking • peer reviews • algorithms

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