Research Finds That Almost All Online Dating Services Lack Proof
of Scientific Validity
True Proposes Online Testing Standards to Address Disturbing Trend
DALLAS, July 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Upon completing an extensive investigation
of online dating services and their testing methodologies with renowned
computer scientist and psychological assessment expert, Dr. Rense Lange, True
today revealed that millions of singles who engage in online dating could be
using compatibility tests which are seriously flawed and without scientific
merit.
The research, which will be presented this week at the iDate 2004
inaugural conference in Nice, France, set out to explore and analyze the
psychometric reliability and validity of the testing methods used by such
services as eHarmony, Match.com, PerfectMatch.com and Tickle.com, among
others. With the sole exception of True, no online dating service makes
available any independent verification for the scientific basis of its testing
methodology, evidence of the success of its tests, or any other information
which may be used to measure or evaluate the validity of the methods employed
to determine compatibility among singles. In light of these findings, True
believes that industry standards must be developed and implemented to ensure
reliability and validity of online psychological tests, thereby protecting
online dating services from challenges to the quality and accuracy of their
assessments.
"Sharing evidence and findings is a long-established norm among
professional and academic scientists, which is why True regularly engages in
the practice," said Dr. James Houran, chief psychological officer at True and
a 14-year veteran in the fields of research and clinical psychology. "We were
quite surprised to learn that no other online relationship service is willing
to provide scientific evidence in support of their testing methods. With no
means of evaluating the scientific merit of these psychological tests, it is
impossible to determine the extent to which they are effective in predicting
romantic compatibility among individuals. For example, in the absence of
available information pertaining to the scientific bases of various
compatibility tests, True researchers reviewed a patent application recently
applied for and received by one popular dating service, eHarmony. Although
the application offers no evidence for the validity of eHarmony's methods, it
does provide insight into the methodology used by the company."
"The prospect that millions of singles are making life-changing decisions
based on compatibility tests that are not scientifically sound is a sobering
one indeed. People would not take a drug that has not been approved by the
FDA, and likewise people looking for relationships should not so willingly
trust online psychological tests and matching systems that have not been
independently proven to meet accepted testing standards," added Houran.
"Aside from True, no other online relationship service has allowed its
testing methodology to be publicly reviewed, making it nearly impossible to
assess the tests' validity or efficacy," said Dr. Lange. "By modern testing
standards, based on all available data, many compatibility methods do not even
qualify as legitimate psychological tests; in fact, I would classify them as
'fun' quizzes with no scientific merit. Simply put, rather than patenting
their methods which neither guarantees nor requires evidence of reliability or
validity, all online dating services should make their methodology and results
available for review by independent measurement experts."
Comprised of a growing number of clinical psychologists and researchers,
the members of True's psychological research department are frequent
contributors of peer-reviewed, academic papers to such publications as the
British Journal of Psychology, Psychological Reports and Personality and
Individual Differences. Drawing on their extensive professional and academic
experience, True's psychological researchers constructed the True
Compatibility Test(TM) -- the only test of its kind based entirely on modern
scientific techniques and independently certified to conform to testing
guidelines by the American Psychology Association. Similarly, in keeping with
long-established academic and scientific norms, True is the only online dating
service to make its methodology, psychometric data and evidence of success
available for public scrutiny.
About True
True is a safe, savvy and scientifically based relationship service whose
mission is to help singles find long lasting and fulfilling relationships.
Founded on an advanced, scientific compatibility test uniquely endorsed by
Psychology Today and independently certified by one of the leading experts in
tests and measurements to comply with the standards of the American
Psychological Association, True is the only online relationship service that
actively protects the safety of its members by conducting extensive criminal
background screenings. Moreover, with the help of proprietary research and
the industry's most extensive team of scientists, relationship experts and
psychologists, True guides its members step-by-step through all stages of the
relationship-building process.
To find out more about how True helps people around the world Live, Love
and Learn(TM), please visit http://www.true.com.
For further information, please contact Olivia Horoshko of Ogilvy Public
Relations Worldwide, +1-310-248-6183, Olivia.Horoshko@ogilvypr.com, for True.
SOURCE True
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Related links:
http://www.true.com
CONTACT:
Olivia Horoshko of Ogilvy Public Relations
Worldwide, +1-310-248-6183, Olivia.Horoshko@ogilvypr.com, for
True
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