Hm. Question.

[conuly]

I'm not making this a poll, incidentally, even though it's about polls.

I've noticed that a lot of LJ users, when making polls, include a "ticky box" or a pointless question. I do that, in fact. But why do we do such a thing? How widespread is it? Where did it start, and when? *is curious*

Comments

[ursamajor]

i blame support volunteers, as i absorbed it from them, but it's TRUE. i get more response to my polls than pretty much any other entry; i think it really is the "ooh shiny look at me click" factor.

[redlami.livejournal.com]

I think it's to get as many people to respond as possible. I may not want to answer all the other questions, but I may answer the "do you think I'm cool" one (hello, I read your journal) and once the ice is broken I may as well answer one or two more.

[deceptica]

Actually I wonder about that too, because I don't get it at all. Too me a pointless question at the end of a poll always feels like a sign saying; "Oh, and here's something that's completely pointless, just to emphasize how useless this whole poll is and that I don't really care". Which is probably not the intention, but to me it sometimes feels that way.

[mortaine.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure, but I think it's because raventhon has a passion for tickyboxes and is a bit OCD about it.

"Mongoose" as an option for "I don't know/can't commit" is the loving addition of iseabeau.

[mhari.livejournal.com]

It's fairly recent, that's all I know.

[queenmargot.livejournal.com]

Hee. I just realized why this happens. I, being the sheep I am, am more likely to participate in the poll if there is a silly question in it that I want to answer. I'll just skim over a poll, but if there's something stupid there, I'll go back and answer the whole damn thing.

Huh. Weird.

[ursamajor]

i blame support volunteers, as i absorbed it from them, but it's TRUE. i get more response to my polls than pretty much any other entry; i think it really is the "ooh shiny look at me click" factor.

[redlami.livejournal.com]

I think it's to get as many people to respond as possible. I may not want to answer all the other questions, but I may answer the "do you think I'm cool" one (hello, I read your journal) and once the ice is broken I may as well answer one or two more.

[deceptica]

Actually I wonder about that too, because I don't get it at all. Too me a pointless question at the end of a poll always feels like a sign saying; "Oh, and here's something that's completely pointless, just to emphasize how useless this whole poll is and that I don't really care". Which is probably not the intention, but to me it sometimes feels that way.

[mortaine.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure, but I think it's because raventhon has a passion for tickyboxes and is a bit OCD about it.

"Mongoose" as an option for "I don't know/can't commit" is the loving addition of iseabeau.

[mhari.livejournal.com]

It's fairly recent, that's all I know.

[queenmargot.livejournal.com]

Hee. I just realized why this happens. I, being the sheep I am, am more likely to participate in the poll if there is a silly question in it that I want to answer. I'll just skim over a poll, but if there's something stupid there, I'll go back and answer the whole damn thing.

Huh. Weird.