VIDEO INTRODUCTIONS
"We're Taking the Guesswork Out
of Dating" SM
Enabling Singles Ethically Since 1977
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Video
Introductions proudly presents: |
Consumers Guide to dating services |
and enhancing results |
How to Become a Member | ||
Photos/Profiles/Videos
| For 9 frustrating years on the singles circuit following my divorce, I observed and experienced a desperate need for a forthright, non-intrusive way in which singles could communicate attraction for each other based upon a more accurate perception of one another than is ordinarily available. | |||
Partner Compatibility
|  | Despite an increasing population of singles, I found that most of us were having a lot of difficulty finding compatible connections. As a result, being single proved to be a trying and sometimes painful experience. | ||
Personal Growth
|  | A close look at our meeting and dating rituals and our personal and societal attitudes about being single, provided some insights as to why it's so difficult to meet other single and available persons with compatible needs and values. The following basic realizations became apparent: | ||
| | 1. Most singles are dependent upon haphazard or inefficient ways of meeting someone. Some singles act as though they believe that chance or fate will somehow pair them with appropriate partners. Others confine themselves only to traditional methods of meeting and dating which are usually indirect or hit-and-miss in nature. | |||
| | 2. Contacts between persons under most circumstances are too superficial to provide enough information for persons to be able to assess each other properly. Just determining that another person is single and available is no simple matter in itself, not to mention all of the other information we must assess to determine whether another person might offer us relationship possibilities. | | ||
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| 3. Most social situations offer no clear guidelines as to how indications of attraction between persons should be transmitted or received. We're reluctant to send clear "I'm attracted to you" messages, which we fear may cause us to suffer embarrassment or rejection. Instead many of us choose to play it safe and send these messages in a subtle, disguised or ambiguous form. However, such unclear messages are difficult to interpret - too much is left to guesswork - and the results are often unsatisfactory. | |||
| -Norman Mickey | 4. We are reluctant to openly admit a need for assistance or direction in finding a suitable relationship. We somehow feel that we should be self-sufficient in this very perplexing area. Many of us fear ridicule or maintain false pride about our need or ability to find desirable relationships. Whereas few of us would question the practicality of going to an employment agency or answering a help-wanted ad in order to find a suitable job, many of us nevertheless feel uncomfortable about the prospect of utilizing a dating service or some other explicit, purposeful medium, as a practical aid in finding a satisfactory relationship. | |||
| | 5. We sometimes fail to properly consider how some of
our individual qualities and attributes may enhance or detract from relationship
possibilities. Of course we commonly ascribe such obvious things as
physical attractiveness, status or wealth to increased opportunity for
relationship possibilities - in fact, we may easily overestimate their
importance. In contrast, we may ignore or underestimate the importance
of less apparent factors such as attitudinal, perceptual or behavioral
characteristics. Counterproductive personal attitudes, inaccurate perception
of oneself or others, and inappropriate behavior in interpersonal transactions,
seriously interfere with the formation and retention of relationships and
seldom receive due consideration or treatment as a source of relationship
difficulty.
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| -Allen Funt, | After years of witnessing so many singles frustrated in
their relationship endeavors - victims of malfunctioning personal and societal
attitudes and practices; after experiencing and observing so much misplaced
effort, countless failures to connect, and the all too frequent mismatches
of those who did, I decided there had to be a better way.
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| - Norman Mickey, "Loneliness" San Jose Mercury News February 1990 | It had become obvious to me that conventional wisdom about
how and why we should meet, date and marry was often more harmful than
helpful - and although marriage counselors were available to treat ailing
relationships, it was apparent that there was a clear lack of expertise
and methodology in the area of helping persons find suitable partners in
the first place. Advancements in video technology and a personal background in social work suggested an answer. The emergence of video dating as an introduction medium and a desire to introduce singles counseling as a theoretical concept and available service, led to the creation of Video Introductions in 1977. In addition to individual and couple counseling, singles seminars and discussion and support groups ensued, along with some other activities. With regard to the video dating aspect of our program, please note that due to some practical limitations in showing quality, ten minute videotaped interviews of members via the internet at this time, photo-profiles and other information are featured here, with videos of members available by mail through orders placed on this site. | | ||
| - Betsy Von Wagner, Men's Fitness Magazine July 1990 | Another important relationship element was introduced in 1992. Although the opportunity to preview photo-profiles and video interviews of relationship-minded singles, certainly cut through the relationship chase and were useful in determining preliminary attraction, we found that many singles were still basing decisions largely on superficial appearances, without sufficient awareness or attention to the less apparent qualities that make for successful long term relationships. To address this issue, a unique compatibility questionnaire was developed to identify some of these relationship qualities, along with an innovative means of using these qualities as a basis for a relationship search. However another difficult task remained - how to interest singles in providing and utilizing this information in a fast-paced, instant-gratification society. Then came the popularity of the internet, providing a vehicle by which we could better educate singles about appropriate partner choices, as well as bring immediacy to the search. The Partner Compatibility Questionnaire for Singles © has become an important personal growth and relationship tool for those persons seriously seeking a suitable partner, and willing to invest in this process. | |||
| - Andrew Gordon, Concord Transcript, February, 1997 | Over the years Video Introductions has been responsible for numerous friendships,
relationships and marriages - providing singles with a prudent and progressive
alternative to the perplexing singles scene. We are specialists in the
area of helping compatible singles find each other and some of the features
of our program are explained herein. We hope you'll give yourself an opportunity
to explore the advantages of applying this exciting modern approach toward
your personal fulfillment as a single. - Norman Mickey | |||
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-Open Exchange, Jan./Feb. 2001
| Honor Roll Member Accredited Since 1982 Highest Business Rating A+ "Norman Mickey founded Video Introductions in 1977, Northern California's oldest dating service with an exemplary consumer satisfaction record. He was the first to offer singles counseling in 1977, wrote the first consumers guide to dating services in 1982, and co-authored the first compatibility test for singles in 1992. Online and offline video dating and compatibility testing and assessment are available through Video Introductions. Also available is singles counseling and support, age and identity verification, and year of photo verification of members." - Open Exchange, July-Sept. 2007 Oregon (541)258-1777 | |||