Researching Situational Factors

In Research Teams

Let’s “research” the “why” according to situational factors (demographics). On the following slides are one case related to gender. Conduct your own quick inquiry into why the “phenomenon” is occurring.

• Organize yourselves into your teams of 4 by identifying roles: Coordinator (Facts), Researcher (Web), Record Keeper, and Questioner (Editor) 
• Provide three interpretations for the study
• One person should submit on Canvas within textbox with the first and last names of all members of the group at the top of the content. The Assignment textbox should be entitled, “Graded Course Activity #1: Researching Situational Factors

Online Dating Study

• “Unfortunately the data reveal winners and losers. All men except Asians preferred Asian women, while all except black women preferred white men. And both black men and black women got the lowest response rates for their respective genders.”

When we think of preferences and qualities, nothing more embodies our sense of judgment of aesthetics (beauty & art) as our intimate relationships. What do we see in another person that propels us to approach them/to be attracted to them? Why is their appearance so important in our deliberation? Why is it their appearance and possibly not their style/fashion sense, the showcasing of their ability, but quite strongly their ethnicity, race, and body? Analyzing their user’s data, messaging and reply rates, and additional question responses (read the fine print in signing-on) the OK Cupid online dating site was able to see the contradictions that people make in their dating choices with stark results:

OK Cupid matches people based on similar responses to interests, educational attainment, location, etc. All race and ethnic categories show a similar range in match potential, yet, people (regardless of gender) skew their responses racially and ethnically where there are impressive winners and unfortunate losers. If you review the OK Cupid Blog study summary, this behavior is not heteronormative as same sex matches imitate their opposite sex online dating colleagues. What is more surprising is that the same sample, when asked the question of interracial marriage and dating, show high responses in favor of it. Why does an aesthetic-based question (race is aesthetics associated with historical qualities of ethics – right and wrong) elicit such a response that counters their actual actions?

Integrating situational explanations, what is inherent in a Black being, Hispanic or Latino/Latina being, etc. that determines that that they are undesirable? What is inherent in a White being that determines that they are most desirable? What is further inherent in a Black Female being that makes them the most undesirable? Why do these senses of racial and ethnic being trump any other presentation of being (career, social roles, political views, religious orientation, etc.?

NPR Discussion on the OK Cupid self-study:

org/2014/09/06/345884282/online-dating-stats-reveal-a-dataclysm-of-telling-trends“>http://www.npr.org/2014/09/06/345884282/online-dating-stats-reveal-a-dataclysm-of-telling-trends (Links to an external site.)

OK Cupid Blog on their study:

php/your-race-affects-whether-people-write-you-back/”>http://blog.okcupid.com/index.php/your-race-affects-whether-people-write-you-back/ (Links to an external site.)