Hey, folks. There’s a general political bias test below that I’d like people to take if they have a free moment. I don’t want to know anyone’s individual answers to individual questions, but if those who take it could post their point total in comments, that would be great.
I’d prefer that there be no discussion of the test or comments other than point totals for now, but other than that stricture this post is unmoderated and open to everyone.
A future post will discuss the test, so if you have a burning need to tell me why Question #14 is grossly unfair, save it. Just point totals for now.
Thanks!
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This survey is part of an investigation of general public opinion concerning a variety of social issues. You will probably find that you agree with some of the statements, and disagree with others, to varying extents. Please indicate your reaction to each statement on the line to the left of each item according to the following scale:
Write down a -4 if you very strongly disagree with the statement.
Write down a -3 if you strongly disagree with the statement.
Write down a -2 if you moderately disagree with the statement.
Write down a -1 if you slightly disagree with the statement.
Write down a +1 if you slightly agree with the statement.
Write down a +2 if you moderately agree with the statement.
Write down a +3 if you strongly agree with the statement.
Write down a +4 if you very strongly agree with the statement.
If you feel exactly and precisely neutral about an item, write down a “0.”
Important: You may find that you sometimes have different reactions to different parts of a statement. For example, you might very strongly disagree (“-4″) with one idea in a statement, but slightly agree (“+1″) with another idea in the same item. When this happens, please combine your reactions, and write down how you feel on balance (a “-3″ in this case).
___ 1. The established authorities generally turn out to be right about things, while the radicals and protesters are usually just “loud mouths” showing off their ignorance.
___ 2. Women should have to promise to obey their husbands when they get married.
___ 3. Our country desperately needs a mighty leader who will do what has to be done to destroy the radical new ways and sinfulness that are ruining us.
___ 4. Gays and lesbians are just as healthy and moral as anybody else.
___ 5. It is always better to trust the judgment of the proper authorities in government and religion than to listen to the noisy rabble-rousers in our society who are trying to create doubt in people’s minds
___ 6. Atheists and others who have rebelled against the established religions are no doubt every bit as good and virtuous as those who attend church regularly.
___ 7. The only way our country can get through the crisis ahead is to get back to our traditional values, put some tough leaders in power, and silence the troublemakers spreading bad ideas.
___ 8. There is absolutely nothing wrong with nudist camps.
___ 9. Our country needs free thinkers who have the courage to defy traditional ways, even if this upsets many people.
___ 10. Our country will be destroyed someday if we do not smash the perversions eating away at our moral fiber and traditional beliefs.
___ 11. Everyone should have their own lifestyle, religious beliefs, and sexual preferences, even if it makes them different from everyone else.
___ 12. The “old-fashioned ways” and the “old-fashioned values” still show the best way to live.
___ 13. You have to admire those who challenged the law and the majority’s view by protesting for women’s abortion rights, for animal rights, or to abolish school prayer.
___ 14. What our country really needs is a strong, determined leader who will crush evil, and take us back to our true path.
___ 15. Some of the best people in our country are those who are challenging our government, criticizing religion, and ignoring the “normal way things are supposed to be done.”
___ 16. God’s laws about abortion, pornography and marriage must be strictly followed before it is too late, and those who break them must be strongly punished.
___ 17. There are many radical, immoral people in our country today, who are trying to ruin it for their own godless purposes, whom the authorities should put out of action.
___ 18. A “woman’s place” should be wherever she wants to be. The days when women are submissive to their husbands and social conventions belong strictly in the past.
___ 19. Our country will be great if we honor the ways of our forefathers, do what the authorities tell us to do, and get rid of the “rotten apples” who are ruining everything.
___ 20. There is no “ONE right way” to live life; everybody has to create their own way.
___ 21. Homosexuals and feminists should be praised for being brave enough to defy “traditional family values.
___ 22. This country would work a lot better if certain groups of troublemakers would just shut up and accept their group’s traditional place in society.
Done them all, as best you could? Then let’s score your answers. First, skip your answers to the first two statements. They don’t count, they’re just “warmups.”
Start therefore with No. 3.
Questions 3, 5, 7, 10, 12, 14, 16, 17, 19 and 22 are scored thusly:
If you wrote down a “-4” that’s scored as a 1.
If you wrote down a “-3″ that’s scored as a 2.
If you wrote down a “-2″ that’s scored as a 3.
If you wrote down a “-1″ that’s scored as a 4.
If you wrote down a “0″ or left the item unanswered, that’s scored as a 5.
If you wrote down a “+1″ that’s scored as a 6.
If you wrote down a “+2″ that’s scored as a 7.
If you wrote down a “+3″ that’s scored as an 8.
If you wrote down a “+4″ that’s scored as a 9.
Now we’ll do the rest of your answers, starting with No. 4.
Questions 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 15, 18, 20, and 21 are scored like so:
If you wrote down a “-4″ that’s scored as a 9.
If you wrote down a “-3″ that’s scored as an 8.
If you wrote down a “-2″ that’s scored as a 7.
If you wrote down a “-1″ that’s scored as a 6.
If you wrote down a “0″ or left the item unanswered, that’s scored as a 5.
If you wrote down a “+1″ that’s scored as a 4.
If you wrote down a “+2″ that’s scored as a 3.
If you wrote down a “+3″ that’s scored as a 2.
If you wrote down a “+4″ that’s scored as a 1.
Please total up your points from all questions, and post the total in comments.
20
110
28
28
20
Me: -13
My husband: -14
My friend Nikki: -11
24.
26
29
20 is actually the lowest score possible. I think you probably added up the +4/-4 rather than applying the point scale at the bottom of the post.
—Myca
34
I got a 28.
71
36.
59
20
…NO WAIT!
26
28
31
29
35
26
Comment edited out. Wait until the discussion thread! –Amp]
err sorry i forgot we weren’t supposed to talk about the test.
28
23
28
22.
25
I’ve seen this before, so I’m not going to give a point total; I’ll refrain from making any other comments on it until your next post, though.
11 on each side = 22
34
20.
Why is the scoring so damn complicated?
31.
52. Now what’s all this about, then?
26
26
(when I just posted “26” my comment was blocked because “it was too similar to a previous comment…..” No comment.)
59. Received scores of 6 and 7 only once each, 4 and 1 twice each, and all the rest 2s and 3s, for whatever that’s worth.
26?
42 – how lovely, I got The Answer!
I’ll do this if somebody puts up a webform. As it is, this seems to require maths.
28
First of all, what th hell are “God’s laws about abortion, pornography and marriage”?
My score is 27.
20.
30
57
Not eligible. But I seem to get 24.
27.
20
24
49. Now I’m curious. (Also, too many maths.)
20.
I got 23.
32.
22
I got a 26.
21
27
Bleah, I was tired and dense this morning, apparently.
Me: 28
Mike: 26
Nikki: 24
24
46
30, but…
27
21
My result was in the Area of 51
21. But I’ve seen this before and read one of the books about this test, so my answers might have been influenced by that.
20.
40.
61.
30
87
35
14+15 -> 29 total
Only 1s and 2s. I answered ‘2’ (-3 or +3) when the question was ambiguous or else my score would be 20.
35
42, but I already knew what the test was measuring and knew that certain answers were bumping up my score even though I disagree strongly with how the author interprets at least 2 of them.
45. Not that anyone knows me.
33
45.
26
26 (also too similar)
::delurk::
28
::relurk::
Me: 21
Friend 1: 24
Friend 2: 20
27
24
28
31
28
I got 30 points even.
38 with caveats to be added in later discussion.
25
27
25
40
48
46, due to not answering a couple of begged questions.
My score was 46. I await the discussion post with pleasure.
56, if I’m doing the math right. I’m probably not reading 17 the way it’s supposed to be read, though.
44
27
31
25.
54 (but will add up points again just to make sure)