British public wrong about nearly everything...

[anonymous-user]

This sounds like a Daily Mash headline. In fact, it's the Indy. Conclusions not altogether surprising, alas.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/bri...

Cue PH outrage about always being right because it says so in the Mail; or Nigel says it, or whatever.

[Digga]

The Independent said:

The research, carried out by Ipsos Mori from a phone survey of 1,015 people aged 16 to 75

i think they should re-phrase the article to read, "people who have time to do phone surveys aren't that bright".

[anonymous-user]

The media running a story about people believing horsest printed in the media.

Beautiful.

[zygalski]

Breadvan72 said:

...Cue PH outrage about always being right because it says so in the Mail; or Nigel says it, or whatever.

The ubiquitous "sorry for the Daily Wail link" PH hipster thang got boring ages ago.
Many of the most vocal posters in N,P & E seem to live their life according to the gospel of DMG Media.

[Rovinghawk]

"Public's guesses don't match government guesses"

[trickywoo]

Are the statistics it says people are wrong about correct?

[scenario8]

The older I get and the more personal opinions I hear and read the more I wonder how we ever came down from the trees.

There are some fairly sad statistics within that small poll (and while all polls should be treated with some suspicion its findings don't surprise me too much and seem to tally with much of the nonsense I hear out and about - and on these fora). Many of the beliefs are borne of willful ignorance I imagine but teenage pregnancy rates at 15% of all under 16s? wtf?

[rohrl]

It isn't just in the UK either. Watching a strongly politically influenced news service makes you less well informed, possibly even less well informed than those who consume no news media at all. Fox News viewers are the worst informed followed by those of MSNBC. Viewers of The Daily Show are better informed than the average American but the most well informed watch NPR.

http://www.businessinsider.com/study-watching-fox-...

[anonymous-user]

Normality restored:

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/?Itemid=81&id=41...

[Getragdogleg]

Some of the questions would get different answers depending on where you are in the country. The thing I don't like about this article is it is based on a study of a little over a thousand people. That is a very tiny number and a big headline to attach to it.

[Getragdogleg]

Breadvan72 said:

Cue PH outrage about always being right because it says so in the Mail; or Nigel says it, or whatever.

That is a weak attack on what you perceive PH to be like. If this place winds you up so much you know you don't have to visit and join in. Go and waste time elsewhere if you don't like it, or is it that you like the feeling of superiority that "going against the grain" gives you ?

[Derek Smith]

Getragdogleg said:

Some of the questions would get different answers depending on where you are in the country. The thing I don't like about this article is it is based on a study of a little over a thousand people. That is a very tiny number and a big headline to attach to it.

It is research by the Royal Statistical Society, quite well thought of I believe.

[Countdown]

Breadvan72 said:

This sounds like a Daily Mash headline. In fact, it's the Indy. Conclusions not altogether surprising, alas.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/bri...

Cue PH outrage about always being right because it says so in the Mail; or Nigel says it, or whatever.

Ah but if it's in the Mail (or happens to agree with my views) its "unbiased peer-reviewed fact" and I can back it up with all these google links which are also "unbiased peer-reviewed facts"

OTOH if it doesnt agree with my point of view then it's just typical lefty groupthink designed to inflict more misery on the hardworking wealth creators and I've got hundreds of google links to prove me right (some of which might even be relevant)

[anonymous-user]

Getragdogleg said:

Breadvan72 said:

Cue PH outrage about always being right because it says so in the Mail; or Nigel says it, or whatever.

That is a weak attack on what you perceive PH to be like. If this place winds you up so much you know you don't have to visit and join in. Go and waste time elsewhere if you don't like it, or is it that you like the feeling of superiority that "going against the grain" gives you ?

Perhaps time for a nice cup of tea?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVygqjyS4CA

[brenflys777]

Except lawyers.

Ask the British Public about lawyers and you'll get an absolutely bang on assessment

[anonymous-user]

brenflys777 said:

Except lawyers.

Ask the British Public about lawyers and you'll get an absolutely bang on assessment

Seems legit.

Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 5th February 08:31

[MarshPhantom]

Good survey, the results are hardly surprising.

[dandarez]

Derek Smith said:

Getragdogleg said:

Some of the questions would get different answers depending on where you are in the country. The thing I don't like about this article is it is based on a study of a little over a thousand people. That is a very tiny number and a big headline to attach to it.

It is research by the Royal Statistical Society, quite well thought of I believe.

Not by me. Like all societies today, they'll have been infiltrated by some other connection.

Anyway bar what I think, how about some statistics about the RSS.
At last count they had a considerable number of members.
You'd think they would have to be rather up on their game figures wise to be in a 'statistical' profession... yes?

Well, the percentage of those members who are professionally qualified statisticians is hardly tipping 20 per cent. A fraction over 20 per cent only are QS.

Hence, the words: statistics, statistics and damn lies.

Ignore.

Edited by dandarez on Tuesday 4th February 21:18

[MarshPhantom]

dandarez said:

Derek Smith said:

Getragdogleg said:

Some of the questions would get different answers depending on where you are in the country. The thing I don't like about this article is it is based on a study of a little over a thousand people. That is a very tiny number and a big headline to attach to it.

It is research by the Royal Statistical Society, quite well thought of I believe.

Not by me. Like all societies today, they'll have been infiltrated by some other connection.

Anyway bar what I think, how about some statistics of my own about the RSS.
At last count they had a considerable number of members.
You'd think they would have to be rather up on their game figures wise to be in a 'statistical' profession... yes?

Well, the percentage of those members who are professionally qualified statisticians is hardly tipping 20 per cent. 20 per cent only are QS.

Hence, the words: statistics, statistics and damn lies.

Ignore.

You prefer to get your facts and figures from the Mail?

[Getragdogleg]

MarshPhantom said:

dandarez said:

Derek Smith said:

Getragdogleg said:

Some of the questions would get different answers depending on where you are in the country. The thing I don't like about this article is it is based on a study of a little over a thousand people. That is a very tiny number and a big headline to attach to it.

It is research by the Royal Statistical Society, quite well thought of I believe.

Not by me. Like all societies today, they'll have been infiltrated by some other connection.

Anyway bar what I think, how about some statistics of my own about the RSS.
At last count they had a considerable number of members.
You'd think they would have to be rather up on their game figures wise to be in a 'statistical' profession... yes?

Well, the percentage of those members who are professionally qualified statisticians is hardly tipping 20 per cent. 20 per cent only are QS.

Hence, the words: statistics, statistics and damn lies.

Ignore.

You prefer to get your facts and figures from the Mail?

The Queen herself could ask 1015 people the questions but it will not mean that the "British public" don't know what they are talking about, it means that a selection of the 1015 don't know what they are talking about.

Anyone jumping on this snippit of news to try and support an argument needs to look long and hard at their information quality control.