Can Computers Predict Divorce? A Look at Love and Algorithms

Divorce is a big deal. It's not just a personal issue; it's a widespread social problem, especially in places like the United States. About half of all marriages end in divorce or separation. While divorce might not stop someone from going about their daily life, it can seriously impact their mental health and personal happiness. Researchers have been trying to predict divorce using machine learning. They used a dataset called the 'divorce predictor dataset' to train six different algorithms: Logistic Regression, Linear Discriminant Analysis, K-Nearest Neighbors, Classification and Regression Trees, Gaussian Naïve Bayes, and Support Vector Machines. The results were impressive. Algorithms like SVM, KNN, and LDA could predict divorce with an accuracy of 98. 57%.But how do these algorithms work? That's where LIME comes in. LIME, or Local Interpretable Model-Agnostic Explanations, helps explain the predictions made by these complex models. It shows which factors are most important in determining whether a couple will divorce. The researchers also developed a divorce predictor app. This app uses the ten most important features that affect a couple's decision to divorce. It's a tool that anyone can use to check the health of their relationship. But is this a good thing? Predicting divorce can help couples understand their relationship better. However, it's important to remember that algorithms are not perfect. They can make mistakes, and they don't understand the complexities of human emotions and relationships. Moreover, using an app to predict divorce might make people too focused on the numbers and not enough on their feelings. It's crucial to balance technology with real-life conversations and emotions.