[Link] You Should Downvote Contrarian Anecdotes

Vladimir_Golovin

http://thobbs.github.com/blog/2012/06/17/you-should-downvote-anecdotes/

Anecdotal evidence has been shown to have a greater influence on opinion than it logically deserves, most visibly when the anecdote conflicts with the reader’s opinion and when the reader is not highly analytical, even if the anecdotes are accompanying statistical evidence. Though the anecdotes may not totally sway you, they can easily leave you with the sense that the research findings aren’t as conclusive as they claim to be.

http://thobbs.github.com/blog/2012/06/17/you-should-downvote-anecdotes/

Anecdotal evidence has been shown to have a greater influence on opinion than it logically deserves, most visibly when the anecdote conflicts with the reader’s opinion and when the reader is not highly analytical, even if the anecdotes are accompanying statistical evidence. Though the anecdotes may not totally sway you, they can easily leave you with the sense that the research findings aren’t as conclusive as they claim to be.

I think I would favor a change to the boards that would require all downvotes to have a comment with them.

I think I would favor a change to the boards that would require all downvotes to have a comment with them.

I downvoted this and the grandparent, in accord to the "I would like to see fewer comments like this" downvoting policy. I do not believe that mwengler benefited from me making this explicit in a comment.

12Zack_M_Davis14y

(Downvoted because this is a terrible idea. In my view, the function of a downvote is to improve the value of reading the site by means of cheaply, anonymously communicating the information "Someone would like to see fewer comments like this." If a comment receives multiple downvotes and you're genuinely confused and curious as to why, it's reasonable to politely ask for an explanation, but too many comments of the form Why was this downvoted?---downvoters, explain yourselves just hurts the signal-to-noise ratio. Making a policy of explaining all downvotes would be ridiculous; it would generate so much noise that it might be worse than having no karma system at all.)

2TheOtherDave14y

What about upvotes?

16

[Link] You Should Downvote Contrarian Anecdotes

16

16

16

[Link] You Should Downvote Contrarian Anecdotes

16

16