Tuesday 14 August 2007

Dangerous Data

Jason Oke of Leo Burnett Toronto pretty much demolishes the idea that people tell the objective truth during quantitative questionnaires in a post today. It blows up the myth of veracity by demonstrating one of the most flaccid of urban legends. Any study which suggests that men are more promiscuous than women flops miserably by failing to acknowledge two really important factors. Firstly it takes two to tango and secondly many men exaggerate their sexual activity. Or maybe the figures have been 'inflated' by other elements? There's a time and a place for quantitative questionnaires and so in the interests of trying to make them workable I always say quick and dirty is a good rule of thumb.

I make no excuses for making a post with the most puns on this occasion.

8 comments:

  1. Reads like a confession to me! Say three Hail Mary's, burn that shirt and consider yourself good to go.

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  2. Sorry mate, but we're going to have to revoke your punning privileges for a week. You know how it is.

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  3. As someone who regularly flagellates himself with TGI, I hold very cynical views over the value of asking your average numpty to fill in questionaires. The only way to get the lying shits to tell the truth is to adopt Jack Bauer / CTU enquiry methods, and you won't even have to entice them with a poxy voucher. It could even be fun.

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  4. Hi mate. YOu make me laugh. I need it this morning. I once remember the Managing Director of a research company in Bangkok telling me the only way to get Asian respondents to talk was with a cattle prod.

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  5. I agree with the general frustration about research.
    BUT Charles have you ever considered that it´s not us who are overreporting but the woman underreporting? Just because it fits better with their moral standards. ;)
    Then again it´s probably some of guys overreporting and some girls underreporting.

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  6. Tim that is fucking brilliant. I'm never happier than when I get this kind of comment. Extra depth and a wee chuckle too my good man.

    Thank you.

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