for profile fields such ethnicity. user 1 has selected 'asian' ethnicity. in users database show numbers selected ethnicity (such asian = 1, dutch = 2, etc based on order of ethnicities options list) , search database recognizes ethnicity itself...not number ethnicity. search trying find users asian selected, technically there none since user database goes number instead of name of ethnicity. i believe user database showing numbers because what's used in form best_in_place gem. show.html: <p>ethnicity: <%= best_in_place @user, :ethnicity, nil: 'what ethnicity?', :type => :select, :collection => [[1, "asian"], [2, "biracial"], [3, "indian"], [4, "hispanic/latin"], [5, "middle eastern"], [6, "native american"], [7, "pacific islander"], [8, "white"], [9, "other"]] %></p> i have tried doing: collection: ["asian", "biracial"...