What Scientists Have To Say About Dating

Finding your perfect match is a complex process at the best of times, and with the flood of conflicting dating advice provided by television psychologists, dating coaches, and lovelorn singles in online forums, the search for love has become even more complicated.

Dating isn't an exact science and never will be - but scientists around the world are conducting research and gathering data to take as much mystery and confusion out of your love life as possible.

Enter Jason Goldman, a doctoral student in developmental psychology at the University of Southern California, who reviewed the results of 7 scientific inquiries into love and attraction in The Guardian earlier this year.

So what does science have to say about the quest for The One?

• Temperature can influence a date's assessment of your personality. A study found that participants who were holding a cup of hot tea were more likely to judge another person as having a "warmer" personality than participants who were asked to hold a cup of iced coffee. What this means for your love life: If you want a second date, it might be prudent to refrain from taking your sweetie to the local ice-skating rink or on a guided tour of your favorite gelato factory. Try glass blowing instead.
• The right ear is the right choice. Two Italian psychologists conducted a study in nightclubs in which an actress approached men and women and asked for a cigarette. Unsurprisingly, men were more likely to comply with her request than women...but more surprisingly, her request was granted more frequently when she spoke in a person's right ear rather than their left. What this means for your love life: Next time you feel the need to whisper sweet nothings in your honey's ear, make sure it's the right.
• Monitor the contents of your iTunes playlists. Psychologists in France played music for single women who thought they were waiting for the experiment to begin. Later, they interacted with a male participant while filling out a marketing survey. When the survey was complete, he asked for their phone numbers. Women who had been listening to romantic lyrics prior to the survey were more likely to give out their phone numbers than women who were listening to songs with neutral lyrics. What this means for your love life: The polka playlists have got to go.
• Red is most definitely the color of passion. A 2008 study at the University of Rochester found that women wearing red or posing in front of a red background were considered more attractive and more sexually desirable by male participants than women wearing other colors. A later study by the same researchers found that women also show a bias for men wearing red clothing, though neither gender is consciously aware of this preference. What this means for your love life: It's time to makeover your wardrobe and learn to make the most of your sunburns.

Three more tips from scientists studying love next time...