The need for speed - speed dating - get the facts!

Sep 10
08:21

2009

Matt Fuller

Matt Fuller

  • Share this article on Facebook
  • Share this article on Twitter
  • Share this article on Linkedin

Speed dating is not for the faint of heart. You may find love – or a date, what ever the possible outcome is – you need to steel yourself to face rejection.

mediaimage

For those who have not experience the pleasure and pain of speed dating,The need for speed - speed dating - get the facts! Articles the idea is that a bunch of singles get together and each person has a chance to spend a few minutes with a prospective date.

A bell or some other audible signal is used to let the speed daters know it's time to switch partners. At the end of the night, each participant confidentially indicates who they're interested in. Any two singles that match are given each other's contact details.

There are obvious pros and cons to speed dating. The big plus is that there is no need to establish who is or who isn't available, everyone there is single and looking for a date. Say for example, dating websites , where many of you will know about online singles chat rooms, speed dating is similar, but in physical reality. It's an easy, modern way to meet people.

But there's pressure. Sometimes friends, especially groups of women, go out for some speedy fun, only to find that heartache is at the other end. "It was supposed to be a girls' night out," says Nancy, a 37 year-old woman from the Pacific North Coast. "But it was a disaster. My best friend and I had our sights set on the same guy. But he wasn't interested in me. And it hurt. She's dating him now and we are no longer best buddies, although we are talking again. Despite everything, I think speed dating is cool – just don’t go with your friends!"

In an article on Wikipedia.com, the science and statistics behind speed dating is explained: "A 2005 analysis at the University of Pennsylvania found that dozens of HurryDate speed dating functions ascertained that the majority of people made their decisions within the first three seconds of being introduced. Furthermore, issues that included religion, past marriages, and smoking habits were found to play a much lower role than anticipated.

Further studies in 2006 at Edinburgh, Scotland demonstrated that 45% of the women participants in a speed-dating function and 22% of the men had come to a conclusion inside the first 30 seconds of being introduced. It also established that dialogue regarding travel resulted in extra matches than dialogue about movies.

"Research of speed dating functions commonly show more selectivity amongst women than among men. For example, the Pennsylvania report revealed that the average man was selected by 34% of the women and the average woman was preferred by 49% of the men."

If you go into speed dating with a relaxed attitude and can handle rejection from time to time, it could be for you. But if you're the sensitive type and are easily hurt, stick to the free dating sites and singles chat rooms where you can take things at your own pace.

As Diana Ross and the Supremes once famously sang, "you can't hurry love."