Dating: the science

Guest post from Harriet Barnett of Nottingham Trent University:

RSVP is one of the most successful dating agencies that has an abundance of success stories from members, but what makes these relationships so successful? My name is Harriet Barnett, I am a psychology student from Nottingham Trent University in my third year conducting my final year project into what factors make relationships successful. I am hoping to find several factors that support previous literature showing that factors such as intimacy, trust and similarity - to name a few - contribute to this.

Very kindly, RSVP have allowed me to interview several of their previous members who have now met their partner. These short interviews are then transcribed and analysed and will be presented anonymously in my report, which is proving a delightful task at the moment – one I know many of my fellow third years would look at me strangely for saying! The interview – or as I prefer to call it – casual chat – includes questions regarding the formation and maintenance of the relationship as well as the features of a relationship that ‘make it work’.

Once the report has been completed and I have finished my third year (a terrifying thought at this moment in time!) in the summer, I will be presenting my anonymised findings to RSVP, who will no doubt pass them on in this blog! Meanwhile, if you have any questions or thoughts please feel free to share them with me through the RSVP contact page; it’d be a pleasure to hear from you!