[Strategy] I discovered a new dating strategy with ML

So, I’ve been on more than my fair share of cringe-worthy first dates, and after many awkward dates, I decided to use my data skills to use and figure this out. What I discovered has completely blown my mind!

Also, please also look at the graphs. I have made some custom graphs from the data present in research papers.

On Perceived Attraction

1. There's a clear difference in behaviour between women in the lowest quintile (Quintile 1 [25th percentile]) and women in other quintiles. Women in Quintile 1 show a generally positive trend as the attractiveness of potential mates increases, with the effect becoming more clearer for the most attractive mates (Top 5%)

2. On the other hand, women in the other quintiles aren't as swayed by physical attractiveness. Their interest levels stay the same, regardless of how attractive the men are. They might give a slight advantage to the exceptionally handsome ones, but it's not a big jump. This seems to indicate that attractive women don't seem to place all the weight to attractiveness unlike women in the lower quintiles(Q1/Q2).

3. However, across all quintiles the most attractive men (top 10% in looks) catch more attention. Everyone shows increased interest here, but the biggest fans are still the women in Q1.

Takeaway: It seems that for women in the lowest quintile, a man's looks play a significant role in attracting their interest, especially if he's exceptionally good-looking. Meanwhile, women in Quintiles 2-5 might be focusing on other qualities beyond just appearance when considering potential partners.

On Age

1. Women’s age preference for a partner increases almost linearly with their own age. Women in their 20s are interested in men around their own age, but as their age increases, they are interested in progressively older men. This flips around 35 for them when they start favouring younger men.

2. Men’s age preference for a partner remains relatively constant, favouring women around the age of 20 regardless of their own age.

Takeaway

1. For women looking to maximize matches: Adjust age preferences broadly in your dating profile, especially if you're over 35, to include both younger and slightly older men.
2. For men seeking to maximize matches: Consider expressing interest in women closer to your own age, even if your preference leans towards younger women, to appeal to a wider audience.

On changes in physical attractiveness with age

Men

1. Early 20s: Men's desirability starts relatively low in their early 20s but gradually increases.
2. Mid to Late 20s: Men's desirability continues to increase and peaks around the early 30s.
3. Peak Desirability (Early 30s): Men reach their highest desirability in their early 30s, with around 68% of the dating pool being interested in this age group.
4. Mid to Late 30s: There is a noticeable decline in desirability from the early 30s to the mid and late 30s, dropping approximately 20 percentage points.
5. 40s: Men's desirability continues to decrease as they move into their 40s, with a significant drop observed from the early 30s to about 45 where it reaches less than 40%.

Women

1. Early 20s: Women have relatively higher desirability in their early 20s but less than their peak.
2. Mid 20s (Peak Desirability): Women's desirability peaks around the mid-20s, reaching close to 80% of the dating pool interested.
3. Late 20s: After the mid-20s, women's desirability begins to decline sharply. By the late 20s and early 30s, it drops significantly.
4. 30s: Women's desirability continues to decline throughout the 30s. By the mid-30s, the desirability is approximately around 40%.
5. 40s: The decline continues into the 40s, with women's desirability dropping to around 20% or less by age 45.

In terms of maintained desirability over a broader age range, men age more gracefully according to the data presented. Their desirability peaks later and declines more gradually. Women experience a rapid upswing to a peak in their mid-20s followed by a notable and rapid decline. The Δ values highlight the sharper peaks and troughs in women's desirability compared to the smoother curve for men.

On Height differences

Men

• Men show a positive contact percentage for women who are shorter (5"+ Shorter: 6%, 2-5" Shorter: 4%).
• Men are less likely to contact women who are taller than them. The contact percentage drops as height increases (2-5" Taller: -5%, 5"+ Taller: -9%).

Women

• Women show a preference for men who are taller than them, as indicated by the positive contact percentages (2-5" Taller: 5%, 5"+ Taller: 9%).
• Women are less likely to contact men who are shorter than them. The contact percentage drops significantly (5"+ Shorter: -6%, 2-5" Shorter: -3%).

Women generally prefer taller men, while men prefer shorter women. These preferences are mirrored inversely: as the height difference moves away from these preferences (i.e., men shorter than women or women taller than men), the likelihood of initiating contact diminishes.

What do you guys think?

PS. Here is a good read and source for some of the data used: https://home.uchicago.edu/~hortacsu/onlinedating.pdf