Is Romantic Desire Predictable? Machine Learning Applied to Initial Romantic Attraction.

Samantha Joel, Paul W Eastwick, Eli J Finkel

October 2017 Psychol Sci

Synopsis of Social media discussions

Several exchanges highlight curiosity about the research’s methodology and implications, such as the mention of machine learning techniques like random forests and references to supplementary videos that explain the concepts. The tone ranges from neutral to interested, reflecting a recognition of the study’s relevance but not overwhelming enthusiasm.

A
Agreement
 Moderate agreement

Most discussions recognize the article's findings as valuable, with some referencing the use of machine learning methods and their implications for understanding romantic attraction.

I
Interest
 Moderate level of interest

Participants show moderate curiosity, often referencing the research and related videos, indicating some engagement but not deeply passionate.

E
Engagement
 Moderate level of engagement

Posts include mentions of the research process, errors, and related resources, suggesting a moderate level of analytical involvement.

I
Impact
 Moderate level of impact

The discussions hint at the significance of the findings, especially the challenge in predicting romantic desire, which could influence future research and social understanding.

Social Mentions

YouTube

2 Videos

Bluesky

3 Posts

Twitter

11 Posts

Instagram

3 Posts

News

6 Articles

Reddit

3 Posts

Metrics

Video Views

1,700,240

Total Likes

55,690

Extended Reach

1,713,218

Social Features

28

Timeline: Posts about article

Top Social Media Posts

Posts referencing the article

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74,325 views

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Abstract Synopsis

  • The study investigates how well individual traits and preferences predict romantic attraction and desire using machine learning methods during speed-dating events.
  • It finds that self-reported measures can explain some variations in attraction (4%-18% for actor variance and 7%-27% for partner variance) but fail to predict relationship variance.
  • This indicates that the compatibility aspects of romantic connections are hard to anticipate before two people actually meet in person.