In my opinion programming surveys should focus on development area and leave demographics, personal questions to someone else.

I see no other reason for asking these questions than following the money.

  • @ttmrichter
    3•2 years ago

    I know this is probably a troll question, but just in case I’ll answer it seriously.

    The reasons are a combination of:

    1. That there are underrepresented and overrepresented people in any field of any kind is so obvious we can treat it as an axiom. If you disagree we do not share sufficient warrants to have a meaningful discussion at this level and need to move discourse down a level to coordinate the warrants.
    2. This over/underrepresentation may be a result of “natural” issues or it may be a result of systemic ones.
    3. We cannot at all determine which it is without good quality data in sufficient volumes.
    4. Ergo, we collect data so we can effect meaningful policy changes (if needed) or defend a lack of same (if not needed).

    I always find it curious who asks these questions because it is almost never one of the underrepresented groups asking this…