taw comments on Boo lights: groupthink edition - Less Wrong

17 Post author: Morendil 15 February 2010 06:29PM

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Comment author: taw 15 February 2010 07:55:47PM -1 points [-]

Downvoting is a good evidence for groupthink. This site uses the same mechanism for up/downvoting comments as Reddit, so:

  • Go to a random subreddit and figure out what their groupthink is. It's usually very blatant.
  • Make some comments agreeing or disagreeing with groupthink but otherwise being similar.
  • See which are upvoted and which are downvoted.
  • Extrapolate to lesswrong by reference class forecasting.
Comment author: ciphergoth 15 February 2010 07:58:28PM 13 points [-]

So for example, reddit believers largely believe in evolution. Make a comment in favour and a comment against, the former goes up while the latter goes down, and groupthink is proven. I think you need a more rigorous experimental method.

Comment author: bgrah449 15 February 2010 08:14:20PM *  1 point [-]

A position can be well-supported by facts and still be well-supported by a group for reasons other than facts.

EDIT: The statement above is a truism. I also don't think a group's support for or opposition against evolution is a sufficient indicator of all other group opinions being correct.

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