25%

25%

As a scientist, Sophie knew that the best experiments only tested one variable at a time. But in this trial, the only way to be sure, would be to test both variables at the same time. It was how it had to be or the results couldn’t be trusted.

Trust came when you knew that every variable had been accounted for. Only when you designed and ran an experiment with all of the proper controls, could you trust the results. Although in science, an experiment could never really be a failure because it always provided feedback and learning, the fact that she had yet to meet a suitable partner had started to make her wonder if this was a problem that had a solution.

It wasn’t that she hadn’t liked any of the men, it’s just that at the end of the experiment she couldn’t help but wonder if her feelings were caused by an extraneous variable, something unexpected that affected the outcome. The early experiments helped to refine her methods so that one day she could feel confident in the results.

In the first experiment, her friend told her about the man and why they would be perfect for each other. It meant that Sophie already had an opinion of him before the date and had also done research so that she could speak intelligently about his interests. The date had gone well but Sophie couldn’t be sure if it was because she was expecting to like him, that she had gone out of her way for him to like her, or both.

That’s when she decided that it needed to be a blind study. The next time, she didn’t want to know anything about him. But when she found out that he had been told about her, when she liked him, Sophie couldn’t trust that it wasn’t because he used this knowledge to seem more attractive to her.

It had to be double blind. Neither could know anything about the other.

Then it was about what they would do on the date. If she had him pick the activity, Sophie couldn’t know if her opinion of him was impacted by his choice. If she chose the activity, Sophie never knew if he pretended to like it to spare her feelings because it was a first date.

There would also be a power differential, one person was the host, the other, guest. They wouldn’t be equals. Furthermore, their behaviour could be impacted by the role they were playing and throw any potential conclusions out the window.

“The only possibility of getting a reliable result is if neither party knows anything about the other, the date occurs in a neutral environment and they are doing something neither can be sure they’ll enjoy.” Sophie said.

“Sounds complicated.”

“It is, in the set up. But at the end of the day, the simplicity is in the results. There are only four possible outcomes. You like the activity and the person, you dislike both, or you like one and not the other.”

“No other options? No grey area?”

Sophie’s life didn’t have grey areas, it made things too complicated. Things were either right or wrong, black or white.

“Not in my experience.” She answered.

“No, mine either. And I guess the only way you really know for sure if the relationship can work is if you never want to do that activity again but still want to spend time with the person?”

“Precisely. Otherwise, you would never really know if you enjoyed yourself because you liked what you were doing or because you liked their company.”

It was nice when someone understood how it worked. Most people wanted no part in her experiments. They would either looked too shocked to react or look at her like she was speaking a different language. She was getting tired of explaining it, but for it to work she needed help to set up the dates. She couldn’t quit when she was so close to perfecting the method.

“So the experiment only has a 25% chance of success?” he said as they walked to the door.

“Unfortunately. But that’s why we run experiments, each one gets us closer to success. It’s what science is all about,” she replied as they both deposited their ‘Save 50% on Your Next Visit” coupons into the garbage.

“I agree,” he said as he reached for her hand. As she accepted his hand, she knew she wouldn’t be running the experiment again.