The Logic of Life: How economics can get you a date

Tim Harford, author of "The Logic of Life" and "The Undercover Economist", explains the economics of speed-dating, and asks, "are the romantics right about love, or are the economists right?"

Category:

Education

Tags:

• timharford
• harford
• logicoflife
• undercovereconomist
• dating
• speeddating
• love
• economics

[suicidaljoyride]

damn! I'd probably fit into the 'short ugly friend' category...

[joebloggsgogglebox]

strong sample bias: what kind of people go to speed dating events?

[ban3nab]

Standards and values

[bocanutz]

the men's standards weren't more 'forgiving'--women are just less likely to play the nontraditional role by asking the men for a date. Moreover, women prefer men who take action, not passive ones who will wait to be asked out.

Does this make sense?

[JamesBuddha]

i used to be a stunt egg in a previous incarnation

[david0aloha]

Once again, that's irrational. The romantic person is saying they have standards, requiring a cost/benefit analysis - perhaps with minimum requirements in certain fields. On the other hand, you're saying they have a predictably repeatable approach no matter what their selection is - being about the same for choosiness despite the "cost-benefit analyses" being way different.