18 January 2008

Same guy: Does it matter?

Here's a clip from YouTube that purports to deconstruct the "focus groups" that Fox has been usingYouTube.

It has gotten a lot of attention recently, beginning SFAIK on January 6 when Mickey Kaus mentioned it on Slate, thanking "emailer WB" for sending him the clip.

The link available via Slate no longer works for some reason, but the one above should.

Anyway, Luntz -- the pollster/market research maven responsible -- has replied that the guy singled out for the repeat appearance isn't a paid actor, and that he (FL) does make a practice of re-using people from earlier focus groups, with a 20% veterans to 80% newbies ratio.

Accepting that it is standard practice for Luntz, is it equally standard in the opinion-measuring industry in general to use 20% repeats? Why would that be a good idea? I have no ideas on the subject and am open to instruction.
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Pragmatism Refreshed

Knowledge is warranted belief -- it is the body of belief that we build up because, while living in this world, we've developed good reasons for believing it. What we know, then, is what works -- and it is, necessarily, what has worked for us, each of us individually, as a first approximation. For my other blog, on the struggles for control in the corporate suites, see www.proxypartisans.blogspot.com.