In the real world, however, women are not turning their backs on decades of women's progress.

Sugarplum even tries to have the rules from her town of Perfection apply to the real world.

"When It came to living in the real world, she was just so vulnerable – all she wanted to do was make friends," he said.

Eventually, the couples venture back into the real world, live together and meet each other’s family and friends.

Both have analogs in the real world, Ricke said, allowing scientists to estimate the impacts of the techniques.