Scientific Speed Dating Tips
By Helen Potter
For anyone who is looking for that special someone - listen closely, this may be important.
A study of speed daters has found that people who showed an interest in all of their potential partners were much less likely to have their affections reciprocated than those who liked one date above all.
Daters with 'unselective' affections could be perceived as desperate or indiscriminate, unlike in friendship where such people are more likely to be popular.
"Potential partners who seem undiscriminating are a definite turnoff, and those who evoke the magic of feeling special are a big draw," said Paul W. Eastwick, the lead author of the study carried out at Northwestern University. "The wild part is that our speed-daters were negotiating all of these subtleties with only four minutes for each date."
It seems that, even on a speed date, not only are you able to pick up how much your potential partner likes you but also how you compare to all their other dates. If they make you feel special then you are more likely to return their attraction.
"It suggests to us that romantic desire comes in two distinct flavors: selective and unselective," Eastwick added. "If your goal is to get someone to notice you, the unselective flavor is going to fail, and fast."
People already on the hunt for next year's Valentine - you have been informed.
Helen's page has her other articles on it. They're fab!
A study of speed daters has found that people who showed an interest in all of their potential partners were much less likely to have their affections reciprocated than those who liked one date above all.
Daters with 'unselective' affections could be perceived as desperate or indiscriminate, unlike in friendship where such people are more likely to be popular.
"Potential partners who seem undiscriminating are a definite turnoff, and those who evoke the magic of feeling special are a big draw," said Paul W. Eastwick, the lead author of the study carried out at Northwestern University. "The wild part is that our speed-daters were negotiating all of these subtleties with only four minutes for each date."It seems that, even on a speed date, not only are you able to pick up how much your potential partner likes you but also how you compare to all their other dates. If they make you feel special then you are more likely to return their attraction.
"It suggests to us that romantic desire comes in two distinct flavors: selective and unselective," Eastwick added. "If your goal is to get someone to notice you, the unselective flavor is going to fail, and fast."
People already on the hunt for next year's Valentine - you have been informed.
Helen's page has her other articles on it. They're fab!
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Image: Omar Franco
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