A general view of online dating and in particular Irish dating online.

Would you date somebody who had no face? I am not talking about a trip to the cinema with a helmeted motorbike rider or an Egyptian Mummy, I am referring to photoless profiles.

Many Maybefriends users choose not to upload a photo, some are shy, some may not be confident in their appearance or some just could not be bothered. We all appreciate a great personality in a partner but do we click on the profile without the mugshot? The answer is no. Maybefriends profiles that include a photograph receive a lot more hits than those without. So why is this?

Happy go lucky, humorous, boring, brainy, they say our personality is written all over our face. Scientists in Glasgow University have this year proven that people associate facial appearance with personality traits and in most cases their association is proven accurate. Profile photos can give away a lot more than our level of attractiveness but tell us more about the kind of person you are better than any blurb or profile possibly could.

According to a University of Sydney study this month of 200 high street retailers, physical appearance is said to be more important than previous experience when applying for a job. Experts suggest that the results of the study also conclude that employers in the hospitality, tourism and telecommunications industries are equally as guilty.

Appearances do matter and can be helpful in us making a judgement on somebody but that does not mean to say that beauty matters.

A new ABC show is currently airing in America whereby participants living in a house without lights or windows have the opportunity to date each other in a completely darkened setting so as appearances are not a factor. At the end of each episode the participants choose one housemate to be revealed to them in the light of day and then decide whether to walk away or stay with the person they fell for in the dark. Six couples have participated so far and only two have walked away having being revealed to each other. And only one of those was based on physical appearance.

So it appears love really can be blind!

Labels: dating in the dark, Irish online dating, maybefriends

Lets face it, your Maybefriends profile is your calling card to other members. Taking time to create a descriptive, unique profile and keeping it fresh helps you jump off the computer screen and find daters that you really want to be talking to.

However, building a list of your interests and traits can be tricky and can mean looking inwardly and thinking "Hey, how do I actually come across to other people?". Many newbies may be hesitant of the idea of creating a profile and of having to "sell themselves" in just a few short sentences. Also, some of us may find it difficult to articulate the kind of person we are into words without seeming big headed or cocky, or at the other extreme, not giving much away and seeming uninteresting to fellow members and missing out on possible dates.

One option is to get the help of friends and family. Nobody knows us better than those closest to us. We may see ourselves in a particular light, but those around us may well paint a completely different picture of us than the one we had in mind. Friends recognise the little traits that make us who we are and can provide the anecdotes and examples of our humour, creativity, eccentricity and caring that we may forget or overlook in creating a profile specific to us.

The serial dater who has not found that special someone would not go far wrong by having a friend help screen potential dates by searching the site to find suitable matches. We may have a fair idea of what we would like in a partner, but our friends and family may help advise us in the kind of person that would be good in our lives.

Of course, only you can decide if the chemistry exists but you can be confident that your dates have been screened by the people who know you best.

Labels: getting friends help in finding a date, Irish online dating, matchmaking, maybefriends

Conflicting studies into the effects of alcohol on our ability to judge attractiveness mean we are none the wiser.

Two 2008 studies suggest that the assumption that people of the opposite sex appear more attractive after a few pints is true.Strangely enough a University of Bristol study revealed that participants in their research also rated people of their own sex to be more attractive after drinking alcohol.

Scientists in this English study gave 84 heterosexual college students lime-flavoured drinks that were either non-alcoholic or given a dose of vodka equivalent in alcoholic volume to a large glass of wine or a pint-and-a-half of beer. Just ten minutes later the volunteers were shown photos of 40 other college students and researchers recorded a 10% increase in ratings of attractiveness.

In a separate study conducted in Brazil it was revealed that as more alcohol is taken on, drinkers lose their ability to determine facial symmetry, making people appear more attractive.

However a more recent study of 240 men conducted by the University of Leicester in April 2009 found that participants who drank alcohol actually rated all the women they were shown in a set of photos as less attractive, compared to the participants who hadn't drank alcohol. This seemingly flies in the face of the commonly held notion of 'beer goggles'.

So since scientists from all over the world cannot agree on the ancient myth of the beer goggle maybe some of our members can shed some light on the issue.

Beauty is only skin deep but if you have any stories of times when you hooked up with someone you wouldn't usually dream of without a few drinks on board it would be great to hear from you and we will post them on the site. Just e-mail any funny anecdotes to info@maybefriends.com. No names will be mentioned on the site and we will ensure confidentiality.

In the mean time, why not answer our quick questionnaire to help solve the debate?

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Labels: Irish online dating, Irish online Dating - Dating Disasters Beer Goggles