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Correlation does not imply Causation

For example, people who are more interesting, approachable and extroverted just happen to make more eye contact, not the other way around. Or girls who are more outgoing, open and easy-going are willing to expose a bit more and simply go with the 'myspace cleavage shot'

Either way, a fascinating data analysis!

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Yeah but on a dating site you don't see how interesting/approachable/extroverted somebody is, you just see if they make eye contact in their picture or not. Even if you are very introverted, you could still create a photograph looking into the camera or showing cleavage (if you are a girl).

You could, but would it have any effect? I'd like to see okcupid doing some controlled experiments and see if stuff like changing the photo to look into the camera works or if people don't look into the camera for another reason that correlates negatively with attraction.

The aspect of "signalling" how biological animals act a certain way to show abilities (i.e. stick out chest for masculinity) is interesting because there is so much room for cheating. I wonder if we are hard wired in a sense to only signal the truth or if there is a arms race going on between the cheaters and the evaluaters.

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