One of first notable use of questionnaires goes back to France, 1835. Adolphe Quetelet was a man that was born with an unusual amount of curiosity. His interests spanned everything from astronomy to sociology, including something called Anthropometry…meaning he was really into the physical proportions of his fellow Frenchmen. Or Frenchwomen.
He also gathered data about people’s psychology. Social Physics was about trying to figure people out like we would try to figure out anything with hard science. Why does an apple fall when you drop it? Scientific Method says it’s gravity. What’s a good way to spray Diet Coke dozens of feet into the air? Scientific Method says it’s Mentos. What does the average Frenchman of the 1830’s eat for breakfast? Scientific Method says Revolution.
This study took answers from many people across the country, what we’d call Big Data today, and tried to explain societal norms. Fast forward to today, and marketers now know that subtle media manipulation makes kids think smoking is fun.
OK, that’s an extreme case. But I’m sure you’re not surprised to know that you’ve been categorized by geography, income, education, and spending habits into something called Segmentation. Survey data is a two-edged sword because it’s also benefiting public health and childcare.
So who takes surveys for fun? Extremely bored people, for one. You literally clicked on a link to an article about the boring hobby of filling out surveys. One theory suggests it’s about cost vs reward. Plenty of websites offer gift cards if you tell them about the last movie you watched. You can get free fish by telling Long John Silver’s about your latest customer experience.
Another theory called Cognitive Dissonance suggests that some people feel a compulsion to click those links and answer calls because they want to help or feel anxious about the decision to participate.
Then there are the people who want their opinions to be heard. It doesn’t matter what the subject is, as long as it’s out there floating in space for someone to react to. You know those places. Reddit. Quora. 4chan. Our personal favorite, Fark.
questionaire social science survey zerohero
We consider habitually participating in surveys a hobby. Either via the cold, impersonal interface of a computer or the fleeting interpersonal conversation over the phone…it passes the time and keeps you off the streets.
This Is Boring 