Smeagol
DP Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 14, 2012
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Here on DP polls may be set up where voters selections are secret or where votes are published along with each voters user name. As someone who works in a field where market research is conducted, polling data on consumer preferences is collected, I realize anonymity is important if ACCURATE feedback is desired.
Extreme example: ask 100 people do they ever secretly want to cheat on their spouse whether they plan to ever give into that temptation or not in a poll where respondents' identities will not be disclosed, I'd bet you would get double digits (at least 10%) saying yes. However, ask the exact same question to the exact same respondents in a poll where as a courtesy, a copy of their response will be emailed to their spouse, children, next door neighbor and church to be published in the church bulletin; I doubt there will be very many yes votes. I think this would be because whenever you publish the identities of voters as a condition of voting, you inadvertently change the intent of the voter from giving their honest feedback to maintaining their own image.
I always presumed people understood this but again, research is part of my job. We get polls, both public and private, all the time here. On a couple of occasions I've even seen posts expressing frustration that a poll is private and I've never understood that.
Which are better, public or private polls and why?
Extreme example: ask 100 people do they ever secretly want to cheat on their spouse whether they plan to ever give into that temptation or not in a poll where respondents' identities will not be disclosed, I'd bet you would get double digits (at least 10%) saying yes. However, ask the exact same question to the exact same respondents in a poll where as a courtesy, a copy of their response will be emailed to their spouse, children, next door neighbor and church to be published in the church bulletin; I doubt there will be very many yes votes. I think this would be because whenever you publish the identities of voters as a condition of voting, you inadvertently change the intent of the voter from giving their honest feedback to maintaining their own image.
I always presumed people understood this but again, research is part of my job. We get polls, both public and private, all the time here. On a couple of occasions I've even seen posts expressing frustration that a poll is private and I've never understood that.
Which are better, public or private polls and why?
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