re. that survey that's going around

[such_heights]

Guys, you might want to do some reading if you're thinking about taking that fic/slash survey that's being linked in various places.

eruthros talks about her previous dealings with the people behind it, in which there is really a lot of Not Getting It.

They're writing a mainstream science book. They're interested in broad strokes about the human brain, the female brain, the biology that 'makes us tick' that makes us different from menfolk. (Count the problems in that assertion!) They think that the way we participate in fandom is peculiar and worthy of study, and that it will tell them something essential about our brains.

Here are people's objections and their responses. I particularly enjoy how they've edited questions in response to comments - that would be fine, if it didn't invalidate every answer they'd had before the edit. For instance, when I first saw the survey, the question about how one researches the mechanics of m/m sex didn't include 'I'm a man' as an option. o.O

If you've already taken the survey, you can go back and edit your answers - a lot of questions have the opportunity to be skipped or left blank.

Comments

[glass_icarus]

thanks for this, bb- i hadn't seen it yet. D: PARTY OF MOCK: currently under consideration!

[such_heights]

Ahaha, your icon is delightful! And I think the party of mock is happening over there as we speak. I'm waiting for someone to break out the gifs.

[glass_icarus]

(it is a quote from Shadow of the Templar! ;D *NUDGE NUDGE*)

oh, there are no gifs yet?? I WILL START, HAPPILY. *RUNS*

[such_heights]

Back, vile enabler, back! *g*

[elf]

This post has been included in a linkspam roundup.

[lefaym.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I started taking the survey before reading any of the objections to it, but after getting about 3/4 of the way through, the way the questions and answers were phrased as making me uncomfortable, so I stopped.

[such_heights]

skeeeeeevy. D: On the other hand, the resulting fallout is now both entertaining and educational to follow!

[kel-reiley.livejournal.com]

i want to see the questions now
i hope someone screencaps them or something and posts it, i really do

[magic-at-mungos.livejournal.com]

There's a link somewhere on Fandom Wank to the questions.

[emei.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the link, I hadn't seen the survey. And gods, how sad. It's a bit like watching a car crash, by now, can't look away. The sheer level of stupid masquerading as science.... ack.

[such_heights]

It is seriously entertaining to watch, but oh god, the fail is enormous!

[verasteine.livejournal.com]

Did you get to the part where they crossreferenced a participant's answers with their IP address on LJ (http://ogi-ogas.livejournal.com/2797.html?thread=50157#t50157)? And told the world about it? These people are not only misogynist and homophobic, they're skeevy and very scary, me thinks.

[kel-reiley.livejournal.com]

o, holy shit
epic fail

[verasteine.livejournal.com]

I'm also fond of the bit where they're denying registering IP addresses completely...

[such_heights]

It is FULL OF FAIL, oh god.

[magic-at-mungos.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad that I didn't take it now :(

[such_heights]

Seems like lots of people have been warded off! I am glad.

[magic-at-mungos.livejournal.com]

Because I meant to do it and just forgot to click the link. *wipes brow*

[archon-mentha.livejournal.com]

But...but...it's a Social Experiment!! LOL

[such_heights]

Ahaha - if that weren't even more totally unethical, I would be kind of relieved if it turns out that actually that's what they're studying.

[kel-reiley.livejournal.com]

yeah, i'm glad i didn't do that last night when i was half asleep, but saved it for later
now, i'm not going to bother

[such_heights]

Lucky you! I *did* click in my sleep-deprived state. :(

[kel-reiley.livejournal.com]

i've seen around that there's a way you can go erase your answers or tell them you do not give your consent for using them or something

[munditia.livejournal.com]

I was not only tempted to rant quite a bit in my own journal, but to copy & paste my objections to the unexamined assumptions underlying their most basic methodology to oggi_ogas' LJ. Let's see what happens...

[such_heights]

And a delightful rant it was too! Fandom is so full of smart sometimes.

[xtricks.livejournal.com]

It's bizzare - they must be very young/newly minted degreed. And very exicted by the idea that they have a book deal.

I'm having a very hard time imagining that their neuroscince ed didn't cover the ethics of human studies? Were they never expected to deal with live humans at all?

[such_heights]

Yeah, apparently they got their PhDs earlier this year? How they managed to get so far and be so clueless, I do not know.

[secondsilk.livejournal.com]

They were surprised by the response they got. Seriously. They asked us to tell them about us, then gave us in adequate space to do so, so we took all the space we needed! We are awesome.

[such_heights]

We seriously are! I am very pleased about fandom's reaction to this.

[elf]

This post has been included in a linkspam roundup.