Harvard's three question compatibility test. Awesome or full of it?

[Dionysos]

Apparently, if you answer all three questions the same, you stand a hugely bigger chance of being happy together long term. It's about how you deal with negativity and if you're in synch, so the logic goes, you'll be able to deal with the crap life throws at you just fine. Anyway, without further ado, I give you the big 3 of romantic compatibility:

1. "Do you like horror movies?"
2. "Have you ever traveled around another country alone?" and
3. "Wouldn't it be fun to chuck it all and go live on a sailboat?"

My answers are No, Yes, Yes. If you're the same, and a girl, let me know. :-)

Updates

+1 y

I guess I'll change my answer for question 1 to "sometimes". There are some pretty awesome horror flicks out there.

[Roarke]

I'm thinking this tidy little 'test' was thrown together by some grad students for extra credit. You are vague about what the researchers say is the objective, other than "It's bout how you deal with negativity, etc." If that is their intent, then most of them are going to end up travelling around to corporations handing out questionnaires designed to build 'teamwork' (ugh).

So since i have the freedom of giving layperson's bullshit, allow me to hypothesize, and for no extra credit whatsoever.

1) Horror movies would indicate compatibility in dealing with sudden anxiety. Most healthy people immediately realize the source of their fear and return to normal fairly quickly. Not much point in paring up with a partner who would excuse themselves quickly in order not to wet their britches.

2) Travelling alone. Could target either those prone to solitude or those who can mingle tangentially but not necessarily form long term bonds. Pretty much the same thing, and not good if two partners are on different pages with this one.

3) Chucking it all... sometimes called the Tahiti Syndrome. I don't think differences here would bode well for a husband of three children who decides he wants to bang Samoan girls on some faraway beach.

Sorry, best i could do on three Red Bulls.

[Dionysos]

Sounds reasonable.

[Levin]

1. "Do you like horror movies?" Not particularly, but they are okay.
2. "Have you ever traveled around another country alone?" No
3. "Wouldn't it be fun to chuck it all and go live on a sailboat?" No

If any girls answers the same, hit me up. Apparently, we'll be a match made in heaven...

[Dionysos]

There's one above.

[muliebrity]

1. No, and anyone watching one with me would have to check their heart rate and mighthe become hard of hearing.

2. No. Usually travel with a companion

3. NO. I feel when dome people want to fuck it all, start over, are feeling trapped and unfulfilled with their choices There isn't anything about my life that could be causing me to want to drop it all. Not to say its perfect... I'm pursuing a life that has meaning for me. Wouldn't want to drop anything. Going on a getaway for a week on a sailboat though sounds like an adventure I'll partake in. Living on ome doesn't appeal to my nature.

[Dionysos]

Having done number 3, I gotta say I was running TO something, rather than away. :) I was chasing a dream of having limitless options for how to spend the day, from reading in a hammock, to hiking, or spear fishing, or just snuggling with my lady friend on the beach or in the aft cabin.

Sitting around all day fishing and BSing with fun people is awesome! Can't wait to get back. :D

[HelloHandsome]

1. "Do you like horror movies?" - Yes, but I can't watch supernatural stuff. That scares the shit out of me so I have to sleep with someone. So I guess it's good thing if your my guy haha ;)
2. "Have you ever traveled around another country alone?" - Nope. but I wouldn't mind because I'm really friendly but I would prefer to be with one other person - girl or guy
3. "Wouldn't it be fun to chuck it all and go live on a sailboat?" - No. I'd feel isolated. I like interacting with others even if it's just passing them on the road or something. Living on a boat is too far away from people.

[Dionysos]

If you're in a marina or a crowded anchorage, you'll get more interaction than you can handle, lol! :)

[musicbrain5]

These questions seem so random. I don't usually put any stock into these kinds of things when it comes to relationships. My answers are No, No, Yes. My SO's answers are Yes, Yes, No. Oh well :)

[Dionysos]

They look like they tell how you deal with adversity and how comfortable you are operating without a net. When I think about it, it's almost like a lot of who you are comes from those things.

[musicbrain5]

We deal pretty well with adversity in our relationship. We have so much more in common than just those three things, so that's why I think it doesn't give an accurate reading of how compatible you are with someone else.

[Dionysos]

I wonder if having common interests is as important as having common reactions to adversity.

I've always thought you got to know who a person really is during the first hairy nasty stormy situation at sea.

Whether they giggle or cry during SAW III seems similarly revealing.

If they look at all the unknowns of cruising under sail and think adventure or ordeal... yep. tells you a lot about em.

Of course the best window into them is how they act with rockets landing around em. Fortunately, most folks never have to take THAT test. :D

[feral_shade]

Your update essentially reveals how this test can't work: People are too complex for a 3-question test to determine compatibility effectively. We're too multifaceted with too many diverse views.

Particularly if the questions are 'yes/no' with answers that often don't yield themselves well to a simple Yes or No, lol

[Dionysos]

I was thinking the same thing. I wonder though, if you and your partner both answer "sort of" or "sometimes" for similar reasons... I think it's the commonality of the reasons behind the answer that counts. The questions just turned out to be a way of getting at some things that wind up being important to long term happiness.

At least that's my guess. :-)

[feral_shade]

I think I agree with that... it could be used as PART of a very cursory screening process... or maybe in a situation where there's very little time to learn about someone... like in speed dating

there's also another consideration. sometimes (and in some specific areas), opposites attract

[Anonymous]

I don't know if I buy that... but if Harvard says so maybe there's something to it lol. My answers would be Yes, Yes (hmm, kind of wondering about the people who haven't had the means to travel, just the desire), No (well, I feel like it would be fun to do that for a while, but not indefinitely).

[Dionysos]

At your age, the argument that you haven't had the means is still valid, but not for long. ;-) If you want something out of life, make that shit happen!

[Opinion Owner]

Agreed. I've travelled, quite a bit lol, but I've dated guys who've never left the state, so just wondering about that I guess haha.

[feral_shade]

As a former college student I could use a lengthy paper to justify practically anything... and the simple nature of the claim (and the reputation of the campus) makes it appealing enough to get published

... that doesn't make 3-question method particularly valid, lol ;)

[Opinion Owner]

Well, I just don't know much about what they did to come to that conclusion to say either way, but yeah.

[martyfellow]

Lol this assumes that pele's answers to the 3 questions are somehow immutable, but most people in, say, 3 years will likely have different answers to the same!! 3 questions

[Dionysos]

Interesting point. I was interested in the thing because it seemed like the questions cut pretty deep into who we are at our core, just by requiring an answer that depends on who you really are. I wonder how much we change over time at that level over time.

[misscoffeehead]

I'm shit scared for horror movies, i travelled to Cambodia by myself, and i would love to chuck everything away and live on a sailboat but not all the time.

[Dionysos]

What's Cambodia like these days? Used to be flat out dangerous there.

[misscoffeehead]

Its not any more.. Just people trying to live past the wars and things 😊

[Dionysos]

I finally got to Southeast Asia on a business trip to Thailand for the first time a couple months ago. Talk about an awesome part of the world. I have yet to get to the land down under, but as soon as I can find a way I've got to check that out too. Too many places to see, not enough cash for all the air fare, lol!

[misscoffeehead]

Haha yeah we are a bit pricey nowadays!

[Dionysos]

It's the Vegemite. People come for the Vegemite, lol! Actually, that'd make a good 4th question...

[misscoffeehead]

Honestly! I loathe vegemite! Never touch the stuff 😁

[Dionysos]

Lol! I actually got hooked on Marmite (the Brit version). I eat it on cheese and onion sandwiches and everyone looks at me like I'm crazy. :-)

[Aizou]

Mine are Yes, Yes, No.
My beloved's Yes, No, No.

I guess we're not as compatible
as we thought. ^.^

Question.. how do you not like horror movies? :3

[Dionysos]

Depends on the movie and my mood. :-)

[-Zoe-]

1. Yes (depends on my mood) :)
2. Yes (I did but i don't like it)
3. Yes :D

[mutedaisy]

1) I fucking love horror movies
2) yes, I have
3) odds are I'll be living on a research boat of some sort if I become a marine biologist.

[aamy811]

Sometimes, no, yes and I did the last one for a week and a half

[Dionysos]

Was it awesome?

[aamy811]

Yup it was amazing, we got to go snorkeling in the middle of the ocean, and we got to stop at this little island that people aren't allowed to use. One day while we where snorkeling it started to rain to we got in the boat and we watched it rain over the ocean. There was thunde and lightning. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen

[Dionysos]

Careful with that stuff. It's addictive as hell. :D

[aamy811]

It really was. Especially because we got to go to this abandoned island and do Clift and wall jumping. Also got to go swim in some blue holes. It was really magical

[crazyincalifornia]

WTF is that a picture of? I hope it's not what I think. Gross!

[HeatherJaney]

It's a puppy...

[Dionysos]

Open my profile and then click on the pic. It'll show it a lot larger. Golden Retriever pup.

And you have a dirty mind, just like the rest of the world, LOL!

[crazyincalifornia]

Awww! Sorry N thx. :D

[SandPlanet]

1. Yes.
2. No.
3. For a while, yes.

Now where's my soulmate?

[Ildskf]

I don't agree with this... but for what it's worth... mine were all No's

[rthomas43]

Er
Mah
Gerd

Soulmates.

[Ildskf]

Lol... yeah... maybe we are

[Jahnnavi]

1) Yes i just love horror movies
2) Nope not alone but I've travelled with my parents.
3) No. I've got motion sickness.

[randomwhiteguy]

MATCH!

[Daniel121]

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Yes

[Anonymous]

I love horror films :) then the rest its a yes

[Dionysos]

For me it depends on the horror film I guess. Scary stuff is great but it has to make sense... and there should be boobs. :-)

[lordAlex818]

Not by myself, no, and no.

[rthomas43]

1. No
2. No
3. No

[ky_monsterr]

Yes
No
Yes

[ky_monsterr]

Actually, I like suspense rather than horror.
No
No
Yes

[523206720]

1. No
2. No
3. Yes

[Anonymous]

No, will do, yes. XD

[thatsjustme1]

1 No
2 No
3 No

[rthomas43]

We're gay soulmates.

[thatsjustme1]

Lol! There is one more below.