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I don't think that applies here, although maybe I'm only right about users who understand what they are doing/have the right mindset. I've lost the attribution

I don't think that applies here, although maybe I'm only right about users who understand what they are doing/have the right mindset. I've lost the attribution, but someone said that "dating is a numbers game. The goal is to go on as many first dates as possible, to get in front of as many people as possible. At this, tinder (and associates) absolutely excel. There is no other way to reliably find a lot of single people to go on dates with."

surge 7y ago
I think it might apply in one sense. If you're in a room and the most attractive people is a 6 or a 7 and maybe a 9 or a 10. You're more likely to have a conversation with the 6-7 range given you can tell if the other person is even interested and you have a limitation of choice, there might even be other things about the 9-10's that put you off. They seem more appealing, etc. Go online, suddenly the pool is so large that you see dozens of 9-10's and swipe right on them, suddenly the 6-7s seem less attractive so you start swiping left when in a social setting you'd probably at least talk to them, you become more picky, and you end up getting fewer matches because the wealth of choice leads to you being pickier about physical attractiveness than you'd otherwise be IRL.
quirkot 7y ago
The critical assumption here is that the first date is a useful metric for a long term relationship. And I don't think that holds, using hiring as an analog
StacyRoberts 7y ago
That is not the mathematicians approach. https://www.npr.org/sections/krulwich/2014/05/15/312537965/how-to-marry-the-right-girl-a-mathematical-solution https://www.npr.org/sections/krulwich/2014/05/15/312537965/h... Most people commit to one person eventually so you'll need to make a choice.
- ShteiLoups 7y ago
  Agreed, the general goal of dating apps is to generate pairs. But in order to generate the desired pair, as many pairs must be "brute forced" as possible, as efficiently as possible, is my point.

surge 7y ago

I think it might apply in one sense. If you're in a room and the most attractive people is a 6 or a 7 and maybe a 9 or a 10. You're more likely to have a conversation with the 6-7 range given you can tell if the other person is even interested and you have a limitation of choice, there might even be other things about the 9-10's that put you off. They seem more appealing, etc. Go online, suddenly the pool is so large that you see dozens of 9-10's and swipe right on them, suddenly the 6-7s seem less attractive so you start swiping left when in a social setting you'd probably at least talk to them, you become more picky, and you end up getting fewer matches because the wealth of choice leads to you being pickier about physical attractiveness than you'd otherwise be IRL.

quirkot 7y ago

The critical assumption here is that the first date is a useful metric for a long term relationship. And I don't think that holds, using hiring as an analog

StacyRoberts 7y ago

That is not the mathematicians approach. https://www.npr.org/sections/krulwich/2014/05/15/312537965/how-to-marry-the-right-girl-a-mathematical-solution https://www.npr.org/sections/krulwich/2014/05/15/312537965/h... Most people commit to one person eventually so you'll need to make a choice.

ShteiLoups 7y ago
Agreed, the general goal of dating apps is to generate pairs. But in order to generate the desired pair, as many pairs must be "brute forced" as possible, as efficiently as possible, is my point.