If Geoffrey Miller, evolutionary psychologist and author of “The Mating Mind”, designed a dating app, it would flip the script on Tinder-style swipe culture. His app would be built around sexual selection theory, where mating success depends on displaying costly, hard-to-fake traits like intelligence, creativity, kindness, and mental fitness.
Let’s imagine a serious, Miller-inspired dating app—we might even call it:
“Display” – Where Signals Matter
Here are the core features that reflect Geoffrey Miller’s evolutionary psychology lens:
1. High-Fidelity Signalling Profiles in Dating App
- Users wouldn’t just upload selfies. Instead, they’d showcase cognitive traits through:
- Short videos where they tell a funny story or explain a passion project
- Optional mini podcasts of unscripted personal takes
- Creative writing samples (poems, opinions, thought essays)
- Music, digital art, or coded projects as dating “résumés”
Why? Because these are costly, hard-to-fake signals of intelligence and creativity—traits Miller argues evolved via sexual selection.
2. Authenticity Over Appearances
- No filters, no excessive photos—users are nudged to share:
- Voice notes (intonation reveals emotional intelligence)
- Unedited “walk & talk” selfie videos
- Real-time Q&A rounds with potential matches
Why? Looks matter, but mental fitness signals last longer. Miller would prioritize behaviours that can’t be easily gamed.
3. Mating Fitness Challenges (Optional)
Gamified, opt-in tasks to display your fitness as a mate:
- Improv rounds (“Your date just spilt wine. Respond!”)
- Empathy tests (“How would you handle this dilemma?”)
- Insight expression (“What’s your theory of love?”)
- Humour challenges (“Tell a joke that reveals your worldview”)
Scoring would be peer-reviewed, not algorithmic. Users rate how impressive, thoughtful, or emotionally aware someone’s signal is.
4. Mental Health & Genetic Disclosure (Optional & Ethical)
- Instead of superficial bios, users could opt to disclose:
- Personal growth stories or therapy insights
- Family health patterns (voluntarily)
- Lifestyle compatibility factors (sleep, stress, habits)
Why? Because long-term mate selection, in Miller’s view, has always involved evaluating genetic and psychological health.
5. Reputation Ecosystem
- Verified endorsements from ex-partners (if amicable)
- Anonymous third-party reviews (“They were a kind, generous listener”)
- Blockchains of trust: reputation scores that can’t be faked by bots
Why? Evolution built us to learn about others through indirect signals—what their community says about them.
6. Long-form, Contextual Matching in Dating Apps
- Instead of left/right swipes, the app surfaces people based on:
- Shared creative interests
- Complexity of thought in answers
- Complementary mating strategies (long-term vs short-term signalling)
Why? Miller’s theory values context-rich assessments over visual heuristics.
7. Cognitive Turn-On Filters
- Users filter not just by height or age, but by:
- Curiosity level
- Philosophical depth
- Books read recently
- Political nuance
- Favourite thought experiments
Why? The app lets people signal niche intelligence, not just generic attractiveness.
8. Anti-Ghosting Contracts
- Once a conversation is initiated, users commit to:
- At least one meaningful interaction
- Timed, respectful disengagement if uninterested
- Option for “mating etiquette” certification badge
Why? Miller sees mating rituals as cooperative signalling. Ghosting breaks the evolutionary dance.
9. Signal-Matching Algorithm (Not Swipes)
- Algorithm focuses on signal compatibility:
- Do your creativity displays align?
- Are your humour styles mutual attractors?
- Does your mental health journey resonate with theirs?
Why? Evolution shaped us to recognize complex displays, not Tinder-style snap judgments.
10. Optional Peacocking Arena
A section of the app where users show off in playful, status-aware ways:
- “Why I’m a great long-term mate” TED-style pitches
- “Fitness flexes” (without being cringe) like volunteering, teaching, running a startup
- Satirical self-deprecating monologues
In Short:
If Geoffrey Miller built a dating app, it would feel less like Instagram and more like a cross between an improv night, a philosophy café, and a talent show—but with love as the prize.
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1 comment(s)
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