Blind Dates and the Computer
Just another evening wasted; I'll never go out on another blind date." Yes, you l' probably have said the same thing on some occasion. Several mixer-weary students concluded that college students do know what kind of people they enjoy dating. They also agreed chat blind dates are fine up to a point, but that there must be a better way tha:: the usual trial-and-error system. Why not use a computer? This was the beginning of Operation Match.
Operation Match began with the construction of questionnaires, which were sent to many college students. The data were analyzed statistically .. During the first year some 200,000 college students across the country were matched, with a follow-up sample of 8,000 of them in a validation study. Through refinement of the questionnaire and programming, much of the gamble can be taken out of the blind date by using the computer for matching couples on the basis of their preferences.
The student is asked to fill out a vital statistics and personality inventory on an answer 'sheet which comes with "the test." Tilus. placed in the computer memory file are vital statistics of sex, race, religion, age, and interests. Also included are responses to questions about attitudes and how one reacts to specific situations. Data programmed into the computer include general and specific informatIOn about one's academic record, social standing, and even political affiliation. Physical appearance is added to the picture, as are selfevaluations of such qualities as "talkativeness" and "emotional responses." Not only does the male, for example. describe himself, but he records on an answer sheet what he wants his date to be like; Each client is sent a list of possible dates from which he or she can choose. The matching is based on responses to items which have been found to be valid for "good matching."
Reactions of students have been generally favorable to computerized date matching: "It got me out of a rut." "I met some other adventuresome people." But sometimes the wrong number may get
punched in. In a system of "I" for male and "2" for female, there have been reports of the mistake of "1-1" matching! Conclude the originators of Operation Match: "If you live in an area with several thousand college students, the number of possible matches for dating is several million. Yon yourself have a choice of several thousand dates, and be modest-that's too many to check out." In another study, of sex differences in dating aspirations and satisfaction with computerselected partners, it was found that women have higher aspirations for a dating partner than do mer. Women register a high degree of satisfaction less frequently than men following the first date.
Computer matching has spread widely and beyond college populations. "Getting together" has brought technology in to help, but the psychological problems involved have changed little.
