I logged on to a dating site
other day and was greeted by a large, flashing message. It promised that if I took time to answer a series of questions that they would find a "perfect match" for me. Imagine that? All work and worry of being single - gone! We truly have evolved! Not only can computer programs manage entire traffic system of a city and make chess grandmasters cry, but now they can lead my perfect match right to my doorstep. I always wanted a Stepford wife, I hope it comes assembled. The recent trend in Internet Dating has been use of a "computer personality test" of some sort. Websites claim that these tests, usually developed by a "top psychologist", have ability to understand you and your needs through a series of questions. Confused? Lost in love? Problems communicating? Don't worry, Online Dating Hal 5000 can figure you out! In fact, when you're done, this computer program will know your needs and desires better than you do.
Remember Broadway play “Fiddler on The Roof”? You might not, it was first Broadway play I went to when I was seven. A song that always stuck in my head for some reason was “matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match…” The song starts as a plea to matchmaker to bring true love straight to altar; someone beautiful, rich, intelligent, and perfect.
But by end of song, singer realizes that Matchmaker might not be up to task. She decides that “playing with matches, a girl can get burned”.
So, do these tests really work?
Personality tests have a long history. Really, really smart guys with names like Freud, Maslov, Fromm, and Jung developed respected psychological theories, and these theories are used as basis for all types of tests. “The Big Five” theory suggests that there are five dimensions of personality: openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. Some popular personality tests use this as a foundation. Others go “Big Three” route, which does away with “openness” and “agreeableness” dimensions - mostly because it’s easier to remember.
I joke a little about these theories, but truth is that they’ve survived test of time and there is a ton of scientific research behind them. The real question is if these tests can be effective in applying a theory to complexity of a human being. Add to this additional layer of meshing your answers with another, equally complex person. That’s a tall order.
