Finding your lifelong partner online

Apr 1
07:34

2008

Jim Mackey

Jim Mackey

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If you're looking for someone with whom you can build a life, eHarmony's personality-matching engine has a good chance of delivering.

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Finding Your Lifelong Partner On eHarmonyOnline dating is one the most robust industries on the web. Its popularity is mostly due to the constant flux of people searching for dating partners. In spite of this surge in activity (or perhaps because of it),Finding your lifelong partner online Articles the divorce rate amongst couples continues to rise dramatically each year. Sadly, the pool of eligible singles includes millions of people who were once married. eHarmony was created to help resolve this issue. Designed to help singles find their lifelong mates (rather than mere dating partners), eHarmony uses a unique system that maximizes the chances of its customers to find their "perfect" match.How eHarmony BeganNeil Clark Warren, PhD founded eHarmony with his son-in-law, Greg Forgatch in 2000. As an evangelical Christian, Dr. Warren wanted to aggressively lower the percentage of divorces taking place in the U.S. As such, his goal with eHarmony was to create a unique methodology that would increase the likelihood of potential matches getting married and enjoying a lifelong partnership. Originally, eHarmony enjoyed a burst of popularity as it was promoted by world-renowned James Dobson to the Christian community. Dr. Warren's goals for eHarmony were consistent with the belief structure of that community. However, in 2005, Dr. Warren and James Dobson effectively severed ties as eHarmony's scope began to broaden. Today, eHarmony remains one of the most influential, successful and dependable dating websites available.Science And MethodologyeHarmony first uses a process to "filter" unlikely candidates for its services. Those who are looking for same-sex relationships or are still married are not allowed to register a full-service account. This is due to eHarmony's goal in promoting long-term relationships. Members are then asked to complete a personality profile to help eHarmony suggest potential matches. While other dating sites offer the same service, their profiles aren't nearly as exhaustive. eHarmony's personality analysis questionnaire requires filling out hundreds of questions. Though time-intensive, members claim that it's a far superior way of meeting people to whom you're well-suited.Encouraging Long-Term RelationshipsWhile other dating websites can offer members the opportunity to meet literally hundreds of potential dating partners in weeks, eHarmony's model of success is based on an entirely different goal. Eschewing quantity of quality of matches, eHarmony emphasizes finding people whose personality, goals and perspectives might increase the likelihood of a long-term relationship. Members of other popular online dating sites circulate through dozens of fellow members, returning to the pool of singles often. eHarmony promotes a more targeted approach that focuses on finding the person with whom you can share a full and satisfying life. The "filters" and exhaustive personality questionnaire are designed for this purpose.Taking Action To Find A MatcheHarmony is higher-priced than many of its competitors. However, many members (and former members who have since found their partners) contend that the service is effective and the higher price is a good investment. People who are serious about meeting someone with the potential of getting married should consider eHarmony. You can sign up for a free trial at their website.