The story is different (male/female names) but may be relevant.
I’m thinking that including the word “wonk” in my user name was a mistake. Are you guys easier on people with “mom” in their title and harder on the ones with “star” or “lawyer”? Do you take “dad”'s posts more seriously than “girl”'s? What about people who just use (what we assume is) their first name?
I’m not sure what the net effect would be, but the question is, do you feel that people respond differently depending on what the poster’s name is?
(Obviously, the regulars will have earned a reputation that transcends their original choice from 1 AM on March 10th 2011, or whatever.)
If people have biases that cause them to respond differently to different sorts of names, it’s unlikely that they’re aware of them. Thus, you’re not going to get very useful answers to your questions.
My D figured this out when she was in middle school. She adopted the identity of a college boy online so she wouldn’t get flirted with, dismissed or otherwise disrespected and her ideas would be respected. Yes, I believe there is definitely gender bias alive and healthy online and most places.
If there is a pic I don’t really even notice the name – I have come to identify most regular posters with their pic. The name only becomes noticeable to me if the poster is using the standardized CC pic.
I kind of realized after I chose my user name that everyone would know I am definitely Linda. Unless it was all a clever way to throw people off track that, in fact, I am a dude and my real name is Dave.
Well, anyone who read my son’s story that I posted knows my real name, location, etc. I’m pretty transparent! I want people to feel comfortable contacting me if they have mental health issues in their family.
I don’t think I’m self aware enough to know if I respond differently based on names. I don’t think I do, but probably some names are more memorable than others.
When I chose my screen name for here I took into account:
my lack of creativity
my desire not to have my real name be part of a site open to read by not only registered users but absolutely anyone not even logged in
3)my choice to have it be different from my screen names used elsewhere
4)my reason for being here. Once I began posting, it wouldn’t take long anyway for anyone to figure out I am a mom with 2 girls.
@mom2twogirls , is it possible that you also wanted to choose a relatively short screen name? I mean, what if you had chosen mom2twogirls,two dogs,threecats,onehusband,onehouse,andapetlizard? No one would ever tag you!
I’ve only had one person mistake me for Daenerys on here, and I had to explain to him that it was a fictional character.
I don’t have the inclination to create a different persona online, so it’s fairly easy to tell who and what I am through my firehose posting style. I’d say that impacts people more than my screen name or avatar B-)
When I first signed on I was thinking of my mathy older son - who would actually tell you that he was a computer guy not a math guy. I used to call him mathson - and at least once some kid chided me for typecasting him and how he was going to feel bad when he changed his major. Aside from the fact that he refused to have anything to do with CC, the idea that my kid would ever sway from the math/CS/physics stuff was laughable.
But my second son is not at all mathy. And while I loved math in high school, for one reason and another I never pursued it beyond calculus. Though I have read a fair number of number theory type books that are written for a more general audience. I find many people assume I know a lot more math than I do.
I had a painting of mine as my avatar and intended to switch it out regularly, but I’m lazy. Currently I have my kitchen, which seems more appropriate for someone who, currently at least, architects more than they paint.
Someone here on CC was inquiring about his chances at top schools. His screen name was “IHateSchool” or something like that. I told him that his chances were slim to non-existent.
