Dating soldiers ‘should choose riskier conversation topics’

Single soldiers who are using dating websites to find romance may be interested in the advice of one specialist, who suggested too many people stick to safe conversation topics when on a first date.

Dan Ariely, a professor of behavioural economics at Duke University, North Carolina, wrote in an article for Wired magazine most people favour the friendly over the controversial, even at the risk of being dull, because they do not want to offend the other person.

Therefore individuals stick to universally-shared interests, such as food or the weather, when speaking to people they meet through online dating, he explained.

Mr Ariely advised people to propose to their date they discuss only topics they are truly interested in for one evening, or agree to ask five difficult questions first and by stepping out of their comfort zone in this way, individuals may "ultimately gain more".

And in order to set up a rendevouz in the first place, hot soldiers may be interested in recent comments from Corinne Innis of Penn Fleming Matchmaking Service, who said singletons should make sure their photos show them at their best.

Posted by Samantha Thompson