Re: [Callers] Contra Academia?

Maia wrote: I would point out that folks are, generally, much better at reporting their own actual behavior than they are in reporting their motivations. People are often not really aware of their own actual motivations. We are all prone to explain our behavior by generating reasons. In research you might be better off asking about actual behaviors. If I ask "why" a person attends contras the results are not likely to be dependable. If I ask "how many contra dance evenings have you attended during the last 12 months?" I am more likely to get a more accurate answer, in part because the behavior is externally observable. Dancing a role that is different from your most apparent gender is observable. Why you do so is less dependable information. A study that reports on the behavior of gender-role switching at dances would generate useful information for callers and organizers. If you can also report on the apparent gender of the respondents and the sexual preferences of the respondents this might also be very helpful. I would shy away from asking "why" of respondents. That might be something you, or the readers of your report can infer from the findings. - Greg McKenzie West Coast, USA