Online Dating Experiment

jesusHchris

I know this has been brought up before, but I'm wondering if anyone has tried it.

Disable images in your web browser and try your favorite online dating site for a while. Actually commit to a date or two after some back and forth conversations and thorough profile review. It would be interesting to see how the results differ from the common approach of pictures-first.

Thoughts?

gym_king_carlie

Ive tried it, it went well for a friendship, but there was no instant chemistry with the girls I met, I'm abide by the laws of attraction so maybe I was in the wrong frame of mind, but a lot of my friends who have tried it have had a few bad or average dates but the majority of them have found love, some have gone on to have children and marry.

good luck (Y)

never tried the no pictures thing though, I think its admirable and brave that your going purely on a persons personality.

christine24t

I could never do it but more power to the people who could!

OperationSuperKAT

I have *kind* of done this in the past. I have talked to quite a few guys who didn't have pictures in their profiles at all, just to give them a chance. A lot of them actually do have valid reasons for not posting pictures (such as being a teacher -- it would be a little awkward to have a student or former student find you on a dating site). I found it was really a mixed bag when it got to the point of actually seeing a picture (I really can't commit to meeting someone if I don't know what they look like. It's an OCD thing -- how would I know who they are? Hold up a sign with their name on it?) Some guys were nice looking, some guys were not. If I felt enough of a connection, regardless of what they looked like, I would at least meet once.

Are you thinking about trying this? It would be really interesting to see how it works out for a guy.

Not in a sexist sense, of course. It's just that I'm a girl who has a lot of girlfriends, so I kind of have a pretty good perspective on how women think -- one would think having a brother would help, but it doesn't :flowerforyou:

sam308lbs

i did this and we didnt see each other for 4 freakin months! Obviously it was her idea and i went along with it cuz she said how she was always attracting the wrong type of guys.So i concluded she must be pretty hot and was looking for someone who is not shallow. Sure i could be deep. So we started chatting and hit it off from the beginning. When the time came to reveal ourselves, turned out she wasn't my type by miles. But still, when there is chemistry, there is chemistry so i didnt care what she looked like at that point. And yea if i had seen her first, i would have moved on :embarassed:. Learnt a great life lesson there!

TinGirl314

I think people really miss out on the complexities of people and run after the wrong things.
That being said, we all have preferences, and it doesn't make us shallow individuals. Our minds are given the ability to choose preferences so we can obtain happiness from our life. Now,my generation is also some of the most shallow people I have ever met. They have to be a specific weight with a specific hair color and chest size and blah blah blah.

So I think it's all about finding balance. I don't let my preferences stop me from talking to people though.
Even if you don't click physically you could have just missed meeting your best friend.

pa_jorg

Are you on OkCupid? They have a 'blind date' feature on the phone app that sets you up on a same-day date. I've never tried it but I think you get a few basics about the other person and they only send you a pic about 30 minutes before you meet or something like that.

jesusHchris

I've thought about trying it. The "blind date" thing on OKC is completely random and based on a location. I mean actually reading profiles and selecting a date based on what the person has written and your written interaction with them. Maybe even put a disclaimer on your profile stating that you can't see their pictures and ask that they describe themselves.

I might give it a shot, but not just yet. I'm coming up on date #3 with a girl and it would be weird to have her realize I'm running some new campaign at the same time.

AnnaPixie

Yikes! I dont think I could do it either. I might try it to the point of date, but I think I'd need to see a picture before agreeing to meet.

4themoney

It sounds good in theory.
I know that based on my face guys seem interested and keep messaging and calling, but once they get the full body shot, they usually poof.
So, you could end up being really into someone's personality and then meet them and either not be interested at all, or actually really turned off by them..........
It could be a lot of time spent, and emotion invested, for nothing. OR, they might not be into you and then you have that whole rejection thing!

jesusHchris

...you could end up being really into someone's personality and then meet them and either not be interested at all, or actually really turned off by them..........

Those are all excellent points.

Maybe a different way to do it would be to decide who to pursue before seeing any pictures. Then, look at the pictures and trim away the ones that there is no physical attraction to.

Who am I kidding, I'll never do this.

lacroyx

I don't think I could, especially if it was for dating. If it was just casual friendly socializing kind of thing, then yeah, I would.

pa_jorg

...you could end up being really into someone's personality and then meet them and either not be interested at all, or actually really turned off by them..........

Those are all excellent points.

Maybe a different way to do it would be to decide who to pursue before seeing any pictures. Then, look at the pictures and trim away the ones that there is no physical attraction to.

Who am I kidding, I'll never do this.

Why not try? You seem motivated and you can be our SP experiment.

RunIntheMud

I've never tried, but had a different type of experiment on POF. For two weeks I'd click on the profile and scroll quickly past the pics to the narrative. If I was interested in that, I'd look at his details. If I was still interested, then I'd look at his picture. If I wasn't interested at either of those points, I'd go back to the search without looking at the picture. I clicked on every profile that was within my location and age specifications, but those were the only parameters I set. The thumb nails were so small I really didn't see much more than a glance before reading either. It was interesting to see what came about and I actually talked with some nice guys I wouldn't normally have talked to.

That said, I still chose not to talk with some based on their looks. There has to be a connection and you have to know that you are going to blend well together.

4themoney

when i FIRST tried online dating i just had a profile head shot up. that was it. i remember this one guy writing back and forth a whole bunch, flirting like crazy, talking about going out that weekend, etc. and then he asked for more pictures. i just sent him a couple more head shots, and he was like " sorry, you're not my type." i think the dream is often better than the reality in those situations.