Metapoll! (i.e. a poll about polling)

[sholio]

I got to wondering about this because I've noticed that when I'm browsing through Livejournals, I will, almost by default, click on the results for the poll *before* I vote. And this is kind of weird, because usually I already know how I feel about a topic, and I already know whether or not I want to vote in the poll. But still, I feel like looking at the results first. Maybe I'm just an instant gratification person?

Here, have a poll.

[Poll #977657]

Comments

[6beforelunch.livejournal.com]

I vote if the poll is something I'm interested in and if it seems like a poll that's intended for a wide audience. Depending on the way a poll is phrased or the context of the entry, sometimes it seems like a poll is only intended for people who already know the journal author, even if it's kept public. In that case, I don't bother to click. I'm paranoid about sticking my nose where it isn't wanted. *g*

[sholio]

Depending on the way a poll is phrased or the context of the entry, sometimes it seems like a poll is only intended for people who already know the journal author, even if it's kept public.

Oh, you know, that's a good point there! I hadn't really considered why sometimes I feel like I'm stepping on toes if I vote in a poll, but that's it exactly. There are times when you get the impression that a poll is open to everybody, and other times when you don't quite feel comfortable doing so.

[abyssinia4077.livejournal.com]

Whether I'll vote in a poll that isn't on my flist is...entirely up to the moment. Those are also the polls I'm likely to look at results first (I'm more likely to vote there is LOTS of people have already voted).

[sholio]

I can definitely sympathize with that -- it feels very weird to be one of the only people voting in a poll!

[tipper-green.livejournal.com]

Polls are cool. I can't resist the urge to become part of the mass CW, regardless of opinion. I get to VOTE on something! It's so COOL!

Hee hee. Don't mind me. I'm eating sugar and I found this very, very amusing.

[sholio]

I found this very, very amusing.

Hey, it's supposed to be! It's a poll about taking polls ... *laughs*

[ratcreature]

Well, it's a bit more convoluted for me. I often look first, sometimes just out of curiosity to see whether people have already responded, but depending on the kind of poll it is also for, well, "voting strategy", but sometimes I don't look, and I usually respect it if the poll poster for whatever reason doesn't want you to check first. And I usually don't change my vote, except for when I have "voting strategy" reasons and the results I see have an impact on that, but it is not so simple as that I either pick the less or the more popular options, it depends on the kind of poll.

What I mean with "voting strategy" is things like... say an author did a poll of "what story idea/pairing should I write next?" and offered a bunch of options and there is one I would like best, but when I look at the results it is clear that there are already quite a number of votes on the poll and that is the most unpopular choice and has no chance make it, but from the two choices with the most votes, there is one that I'd still like to read, even if it is not my, and another one that is say a pairing I dislike. If I may then vote strategically for the story I'd still like to read that has a chance of winning.

But if for example it is a poll about "pick your favorite ship" and it doesn't offer very fine distinctions like that you can pick explanations of "I like X an Y equally and I'm really more into character Z no matter with whom he is paired etcetc" and there is a couple of ships I like, and looking at the poll I see that one is far ahead but nobody yet voted for the other one, I'm likely to vote for the less popular ship, to show that it has fans too. So the ways I change my votes (or not)after seeing results really depend on the poll , but I usually don't change my replies for polls that are "your opinion on subject XY" when I have a clear opinion, though sometimes looking at results clarifies the question and shows that I misunderstood what the poll poster meant, especially if there are text fields.

Whether I vote on polls I come across via friends-of-friends views or something like that is fairly whimsical, but I won't vote when it is a poll that expects you to know the journal owner's situation or previous conversations on some subject in that LJ.

[sholio]

And I usually don't change my vote, except for when I have "voting strategy" reasons and the results I see have an impact on that, but it is not so simple as that I either pick the less or the more popular options, it depends on the kind of poll.

Oh yes, I see! You're right, it's definitely more complicated than just "popular/unpopular", but I can see what you mean. And there is a lot of similar strategy in voting for real-world political candidates too...

[derry667.livejournal.com]

To be completely honest, I tend to just look at polls to see what the opinions are - and I often don't vote at all. More interested in the way the land lies and very rarely interested in tossing my own opinion into the mix.

I voted in yours though. Picked "other" for the 3rd question.

The thing that is actually most likely to make me vote in a poll is if my (genuinely held) opinion is really "out of touch" with popular opinion. Yes, I would mainly vote just because it gave me the chance to be contrary.

eg.
When should the Winchester brothers hug each other in the show?
A) As soon as possible
B) Every bloody episode
C) When they find each other again after thinking the other was dead
D) Season finale
E) THEY SHOULD NEVER HUG ON SCREEN

Oh, yes, derry667 would be voting ((E)) in a big way! And pretty much just because I'm quite sure the majority opinion lies elsewhere. Oh, yes, indeedy.

Ridiculously contrary? Moi?

[sholio]

Your sample question totally cracks me up, especially after the most recent episode. *snicker*

I just realized that I didn't put "look, but don't vote" as an option for the first question. Which I really should have. And, yeah ... I don't vote every time by any means, much like I tend to lurk on other people's journals rather than chiming into the conversation. I guess I'm a lot more likely to vote in strange polls than to comment on strange journals because I feel like a vote is a lot less, hmm, intrusive? than a whole comment. I'm very unlikely to comment on a discussion if I don't know any of the people in it -- seems kinda rude, like jumping into a conversation with a group of strangers who are having a political debate on a bus. Not that I will never comment ... but it's rare. A vote seems like less of a "butting in where one might not be wanted" sort of thing.

[shinra-lackey.livejournal.com]

When I come upon a poll on a journal I don't normally read:

Voted other and here's my reasoning:

Since this is one of the cases where my answer applies, I'm going to say that I vote in journals I don't read in often when I've at least commented once or twice so I don't seem like a complete stalker. Otherwise, I won't vote even if I have a passionate opinion since the poll wasn't really aimed at me.

[sholio]

Interesting! I guess that I generally consider a poll to be open to anyone unless it's stated (or implied) otherwise ... that is, I figure the person who posted the poll wouldn't have done so if they weren't looking for a variety of answers. However, I can definitely see the logic behind your reasoning, and it seems like a good rule of thumb.

*smiles at your pretty Sai icon*