People who agree are more likely to keep quiet than people who disagree. Rewarding them for speaking up reduces that effect, which means comments get closer to accurately representing consensus.
It’s the impression I’ve got from informal observation, and it’s true when talking about myself specifically. (If I disagree, I presumably have something to say that has not yet been said. If I agree, that’s less likely to be true. I don’t know if that’s the whole reason, but it feels like a substantial part of it.)
My own experience is that while people are more likely to express immediate disagreement than agreement in contexts where disagreement is expressed at all, they are also more likely to express disagreement with expressed disagreement in such forums, from which agreement can be inferred (much as I can infer your agreement with EY’s behavior from your disagreement with Will_Newsome). The idea that they are more likely to keep quiet in general, or that people are more likely to anonymously downvote what they disagree with than upvote what they agree with, doesn’t jive with my experience.
And in contexts where disagreement is not expressed, I find the Asch results align pretty well with my informal expectations of group behavior.
I am confused by your confusion. The claim wasn’t that content people whine less, it was that they’re more likely to keep quiet. The only way I can make sense of your comments is if you’re equating the two—that is, if you assume that the only options are “keep quiet” or “whine”—but that seems an uncharitable reading. Still, if that is what you mean, I simply disagree.
if you assume that the only options are “keep quiet” or “whine”
Yeah, I phrased it quite poorly. Should have been “speak up less”. The point I was (unsuccessfully) making is that both groups have an option of acting (expensive) or not acting (cheap). Acting is what people generally do when they want to change the current state of the world, and non-acting when they are happy with it. Thus any expensive reaction is skewed toward negative. I should probably look up some sources on that, but I will just tap out instead, due to rapidly waning interest.
People who agree are more likely to keep quiet than people who disagree. Rewarding them for speaking up reduces that effect, which means comments get closer to accurately representing consensus.
Can you summarize your reasons for believing that people who agree are more likely to keep quiet than people who disagree?
It’s the impression I’ve got from informal observation, and it’s true when talking about myself specifically. (If I disagree, I presumably have something to say that has not yet been said. If I agree, that’s less likely to be true. I don’t know if that’s the whole reason, but it feels like a substantial part of it.)
http://lesswrong.com/lw/3h/why_our_kind_cant_cooperate/ provides an anecdote, and suggests that Eliezer has also gotten the same impression.
I certainly agree with your last sentence.
My own experience is that while people are more likely to express immediate disagreement than agreement in contexts where disagreement is expressed at all, they are also more likely to express disagreement with expressed disagreement in such forums, from which agreement can be inferred (much as I can infer your agreement with EY’s behavior from your disagreement with Will_Newsome). The idea that they are more likely to keep quiet in general, or that people are more likely to anonymously downvote what they disagree with than upvote what they agree with, doesn’t jive with my experience.
And in contexts where disagreement is not expressed, I find the Asch results align pretty well with my informal expectations of group behavior.
I admit that I hadn’t considered this mechanism. I have no gut feeling for whether it’s true or not, but it sounds plausible.
Do you doubt that content people whine less?
No, I don’t doubt that content people whine less.
Then I do not understand your request for further explanations.
I am confused by your confusion. The claim wasn’t that content people whine less, it was that they’re more likely to keep quiet. The only way I can make sense of your comments is if you’re equating the two—that is, if you assume that the only options are “keep quiet” or “whine”—but that seems an uncharitable reading. Still, if that is what you mean, I simply disagree.
Yeah, I phrased it quite poorly. Should have been “speak up less”. The point I was (unsuccessfully) making is that both groups have an option of acting (expensive) or not acting (cheap). Acting is what people generally do when they want to change the current state of the world, and non-acting when they are happy with it. Thus any expensive reaction is skewed toward negative. I should probably look up some sources on that, but I will just tap out instead, due to rapidly waning interest.