Are the Dating Apps' Love Algorithms for Compatibility Legit?

A Study of the Helen-Fisher

Compatibility Model

We all want to find love. People in the dating scene often think about the perfect person meant for them or even the lack thereof. We can often wonder what makes a romantic partner perfect for us. Some of us have had the experience of signing up for certain dating apps and getting a "compatibility score." Some of us even live by this little number, believing it must mean something. Some think a high enough number can prevent relationship failure.

In fact, many people will even pay for a more expensive dating app because it has more personality questions. They then swear that it leads to better matches. We know that all modern dating apps now use some type of "love algorithm" to match people. Usually, it considers many factors, including location, desirability, and/or compatibility.

So today, I want to examine a popular love algorithm used by some of the apps of the Match Group family that owns Match.com, Chemistry.com, OkCupid, Hinge, etc. This model was developed by Dr. Helen Fisher, a biological anthropologist and chief scientific adviser to Match.com. She is also the author of "Why Him? Why Her?: How to Find and Keep Lasting Love". She has also done multiple studies on the biochemistry of love. Her personality quiz has now been taken by over 14 million people in different countries. She is seriously touted as one of the scientific love gurus. So how did this all come to be?

Back in 2005, the CEO of Match.com tasked Dr. Fisher with finding out the answer to the question, "Why do you fall in love with one person rather than another?" She then extensively reviewed the available research to find the answer to this question and realized there was no scientific answer. So, she then set out to develop a system herself.

She drew her idea on categorizing people based on known neurotransmitter/hormonal systems (dopamine, serotonin, estrogen, and testosterone) and the behavior pattern associated with these chemicals. She developed the Fisher Temperament Inventory (FTI), a 56-question test that tells you about your personality type based on this system.

The 4 Different Types

She separated individuals into 4 different personality types: Explorer, Builder, Director, and Negotiator. She also researched what kind of person each personality type thought most compatible with them romantically. This is where some apps' concepts of the "ideal match" and your "compatibility score" come from.

Explorer

Those who primarily express the traits linked with the dopamine system.

These people want adventure, novelty, and spontaneity in life. They tend to be creative, curious, energetic, independent, and high-risk-takers. On the flip side, they can be impulsive, highly sensation-focused, and quickly become bored with rules or schedules. Think of your adrenaline junkies or world travelers.

Explorers often want a playmate in a relationship and are drawn to others who wish to go on adventures with them. They tend to be compatible with other explorers (Similar attracts).

Builder

Those who primarily express the traits linked with the serotonin system.

These people love structure, routine, duty, tradition and tend to follow social norms. They are conventional, orderly, family and community oriented. They also tend to be more concrete minded than abstract thinkers. On the flip side, they can be inflexible, overly cautious, and stubborn in their ways. Think of your managers or soldiers.

Builders often seek a helpmate who is equally family-oriented and traditional. They tend to be compatible with other builders (Similar attracts).

Director

Those who primarily express the traits linked with the testosterone system.

These people like analysis, strategy, challenges and tend to be quite aggressive in their goals. They tend to be ambitious, intelligent, focused, and pragmatic. They also favor tough-minded, decisive logic, so they rarely make decisions based on emotions. They can become quite a commandeering leader. On the flip side, they can be highly competitive and become workaholics.

Directors often want a mindmate and someone who can make up for the lack of emotional and people-reading skills. They tend to be compatible with negotiators (Opposite attracts).

Negotiator

Those who primarily express the traits linked with the estrogen system.

These people dwell in daydreaming, conceptual thinking, introspection, and imagination. They tend to be more empathetic, with strong social skills and mental flexibility. They are also agreeable, emotional, trusting, and kind. On the flip side, they are more prone to depression and can dwell on comments from others, often holding on to a grudge for long periods.

Negotiators often seek a soulmate and someone who can be more decisive. They tend to be compatible with directors (Opposite attracts).

How to Find Your Personality Signature

Most people have both a primary and a secondary type of personality. This is based on your top two scores, so you will likely have a combination of two trait types that makes up your personality signature. If you are curious about your results, Dr. Fisher has released a version of her test in the link below. Complete the 56-question quiz to find out where you fit in her categories and who you may be compatible with.

https://theanatomyoflove.com/relationship-quizzes/helen-fishers-personality-test/

Understanding the Model

Now, I want to clarify some points about this model and dissect its utility to clear up any confusion. The model itself does not have any basis on the actual biochemistry of the brain and therefore is not a neuroscience study. The model is mainly anthropological. That means it is from self-reported data based on Dr. Fisher's observational theory.

All humans have dopamine and serotonin neurotransmitters in their brains and estrogen and testosterone hormones, secreted to varying concentrations under different circumstances. Suppose you were to measure the level of these biochemicals in the same person. In that case, different amounts of each of these chemicals will be secreted at different times. This largely depends on the activity this person is doing and has nothing to do with personality.

For example, all of us will start secreting more serotonin after a hug and more dopamine after exercise. Therefore, even though these neurochemicals and hormones are referred many times in her book, it has no proven correlation with the natural biochemistry of one's brain or body. It has not been proven that people have a dominant neurotransmitter or hormone that affects their personality or how they operate.

Her studies looked at people who reported their personality based on self-assessment instead of blood tests or central nervous system fluid. She separated these personalities based on stereotypical behaviors associated with certain biochemicals. So, when she says "high estrogen," it does not mean that the person has a baseline of high estrogen or even high estrogen most of the time. This individual's blood or brain estrogen levels were never measured. She means that the person fits into her categorization of what she describes and defines as exhibiting "high estrogen traits."

She published a paper including two studies of MRI brain imaging. She is a prolific researcher and has previously published well-designed studies on the physiology of love. However, the results of her research on this topic were very inconclusive and quite a stretch, to say the least. You can tell she was trying hard to find any evidence to support her model.

The only direct correlation was between "Explorers" and increased activity in a brain area called the substantia nigra that produces dopamine. But, people in long-term love tend to produce dopamine through the substantia nigra. Thus, I'm unsure how she concluded that it is associated with the "Explorer" personality trait or not just a person in love.

She also makes a few very indirect correlations in her study based primarily on sex differences. In my opinion, these are quite a reach. So, to avoid confusion, I wanted to explain that these biochemicals' sole proven role in her compatibility model is as inspiration when coming up with her cognitive model. There is no currently definitive physiological evidence to support her model, at least at the present time. This it's not to say that this may change in the future, but it is highly doubtful.

So, is it Legit?

There is no definitive scientific evidence to date of what makes two people compatible or not. We do not have any knowledge correlating a person's physiology or genetic makeup with romantic compatibility. We know some scientific attraction indicators, such as genetic and pheromonal diversity, specific physical attributes, and age. We also know of certain universal traits that allow for more relationship success. However, there is no consistently reproducible evidence that specific personality attributes lead to long-term compatibility between two people.

Because of this lack of scientific evidence, the only thing that can create a framework when considering romantic compatibility is psychological and anthropological models. The Helen-Fisher model is one of them. There are also many other models, such as the Myers-Briggs Personality Test, Big Five Personal Traits, Attachment Theory, etc. I will be discussing some of these models in later posts as well.

In my opinion, what these models do for us is not to tell us about the exact science behind compatibility, as some may claim or misinterpret. The compatibility meter on your favorite dating app is, at best, a model constructed by a "love expert" to try to classify and categorize people, patterns, and behaviors. It is essential to understand their limitations.

However, what they do best is outline a structure with which to think about traits and characters of oneself and others. They provide a framework and a common language to describe personality attributes and help us gain more insight into ourselves and others. For example, the Helen Fisher model gets a person thinking about their values and needs in terms of adventure (Explorers), peacekeeping (Negotiators), routine (Builders), and decisiveness (Directors).

Personally, I find them useful. Some models have made me much more aware of my tendencies. These models have also made me more keenly aware of individual differences. It has made me feel more understood. It has helped me realize the significant differences in other people's paradigms and improved my relationships. They have helped me tremendously in both my self-awareness and personal growth journey.

Maybe some of these theories will indeed be validated by concrete scientific evidence someday. But until then, when you read that compatibility score on a dating app, know that it is more of a guiding structure than the oracle of love.

Growtheart Actionable Step:

Consider where you fit in the Helen-Fisher model and what that says about your values. Think about what similar and/or different values you want (if you are single) or already have (if you are in a relationship) in a partner.

References:

Fisher, H. (2010). Why Him? Why Her?: How to Find and Keep Lasting Love (Illustrated ed.). Holt Paperbacks.

Fisher, H. E., Island, H. D., Rich, J., Marchalik, D., & Brown, L. L. (2015). Four broad temperament dimensions: description, convergent validation correlations, and comparison with the Big Five. Frontiers in Psychology, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01098

Brown, L. L., Acevedo, B., & Fisher, H. E. (2013). Neural Correlates of Four Broad Temperament Dimensions: Testing Predictions for a Novel Construct of Personality. PLoS ONE, 8(11), e78734. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0078734