What a lot of people fail to learn, even as they grow older, is that the way you ask a question can determine the kind of answer you get. The professional pollsters are keenly aware of this and can elicit seemingly contradictory answers by asking the same question is somewhat different ways.
As an example, I recall the story of two priests arguing about whether it was proper to smoke and pray at the same time. One said it was, and the other said it wasn’t. To settle the matter, they agreed that both should write to the Pope for his holiness’ opinion.
A few weeks later they met and compared notes. Each claimed that the Pope has supported his view and suspected the other of falsifying the reply he got from the Holy Office.
Finally, after much argy-barging, one asked the other, “How did you phrase your question?” The other replied, I ASKED WHETHER IT WAS PROPER TO SMOKE WHILE ONE IS PRAYING, AND THE POPE ANSWERD, ‘Certainly not, praying is a serious business and permits no distractions’ AND HOW DID YOU PHRASE YOUR QUESTION? “WELL,” the other said, “I ASKED IF IT WAS PROPER TO PRAY WHILST SMOKING, AND THE POPE SAID, ‘Certainly prayer is always in order.’” And there’s the rub. It’s how you phrase the question.
Some years ago, two large car companies made expensive public surveys at much the same time to try to find out what kind of car the Filipino Motorist might opt to buy in the near future.
One company’s pollster asked the direct question, “WHAT KIND OF CAR WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE?” The majority of auto owners replied that they wanted a car that was compact, economical, functional, and subdued in appearance.
The other company’s pollster was far shrewder and more sensitive to the self-deception most of us unconsciously practice. He asked, “WHAT KIND OF CAR DO YOU THINK YOUR NEIGHBOR WOULD LIKE TO HAVE?” And there the majority – the overwhelming majority – replied that their neighbors coveted large, ostentations, gimmicky models that looked more like boats of airplanes, and the so-called “state-of-the-art,” “cutting edge” thing.
The first auto maker, expectedly, went nearly broke putting out sedate little cars long before the public was ready for them, while the second enjoyed a banner year in sales with its rakish, gaudy, rear-finned models. In fact, the first company was forced to retool to meet the competition.
It is far harder to devise fair and “unweighted” questions than it is to find the answers. Indeed, the most significant advances in science have come out not from finding answers, but from beginning to ask the right questions in the right way at the right time. Like that simplest one of all, “WHY DO APPLES FALL DOWN INSTEAD OF UP?” Small wonder as part of honouring him now have Apples Newton.
