a thoughtful web.
Good ideas and conversation. No ads, no tracking.   Login or Take a Tour!
comment by kleinbl00

This is impressive.

    The study analyzed the responses of 541 volunteers to hundreds of social dilemmas, with options leading to collaboration or conflict with others, based on individual or collective interests.

So they took a survey and parsed it for trends.

    There is a fifth, undefined group, representing 10%, which the algorithm is unable to classify in relation to a clear type of behavior.

And then failed to parse it fully into trends.

That's not a result, that's a failed model.





ThurberMingus  ·  2730 days ago  ·  link  ·  

There is so much to poke fun at in this article.

    After carrying out this kind of social experiment, the researchers developed a computer algorithm which set out to classify people according to their behavior. The computer algorith organized 90% of people into four groups: the largest group, accounting for 30%, being the Envious -- those who don't actually mind what they achieve, as long as they're better than everyone else.

So they got the data, then tried to design their classification algorithm. Which might be innocent, but waves a pretty red flag that says there might be nothing here, but I'll find something anyway, if I look hard enough.

But coming from a different direction, some game theorists set up some game-like scenarios, with rotating partners/competitors, and then when 30% judge their own ability in comparison to participants around them, the researchers announce envious is now a personality type.

ooli  ·  2730 days ago  ·  link  ·  

another pessimist!

I trust them whatever the cost could be.