# Ladies, can I get some input? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 17, 2013, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-can-i-get-some-input/655955 "2013-04-17T17:39:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-can-i-get-some-input/655955/1 "2013-04-17T17:39:31Z")
I’ve had this idea for an internet study to explore the relationship between weight, BMI, perception, etc… But I’ve run into a design snag. The core idea is that I would get female volunteers to give me three photos - a head shot, a full length photo clothed, and a full length photo in either a bikini or underwear, with the head cropped off or blurred. The snag is that I can’t prevent people from grabbing the pictures - I’m sure it could be done but it’s not a level of work I want to go into for this idea. Bearing in mind the truth of a phrase I’ve heard - “Removing information from the net is like removing pee from a pool” - what are your feelings on participating in such a survey? ---
**Author:** ![perfectparanoia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a5b964/32.png) [@perfectparanoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/perfectparanoia)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-can-i-get-some-input/655955/2 "2013-04-17T17:42:05Z")
Check this out: [http://www.mybodygallery.com/search.html?height=5+7&weight=150&pant=any&shirt=any&zphoto=Large&new=1](http://www.mybodygallery.com/search.html?height=5+7&weight=150&pant=any&shirt=any&zphoto=Large&new=1) I think this might be what you kinda had in mind. It already exists to a certain degree. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-can-i-get-some-input/655955/3 "2013-04-17T20:16:45Z")
Why only ladies? Are you trying to do a “Match the body to its face” thing? Just curious. ---
**Author:** ![Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4bbf92/32.png) [@Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heart_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-can-i-get-some-input/655955/4 "2013-04-17T20:34:39Z")
And there’s [Illustrated BMI Categories](http://www.flickr.com/photos/77367764@N00/sets/72157602199008819/), and another one with the photos arranged along height and weight axes, which I can’t seem to find. ---
**Author:** ![llcoolbj77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/eb9ed0/32.png) [@llcoolbj77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/llcoolbj77)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-can-i-get-some-input/655955/5 "2013-04-17T20:40:13Z")
I’d do it, I suppose. If I felt it had some inherent merit. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-can-i-get-some-input/655955/6 "2013-04-17T20:45:59Z")
Technically anyone that can view the photos on the Internet could save and post the photos just like any other photo. That’s all there is to it. No amount of protection would stop that, if it’s viewable, it’s savable. ---
**Author:** ![colander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@colander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colander)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-can-i-get-some-input/655955/7 "2013-04-17T20:49:02Z")
> [@Zyada](#): > > I’ve had this idea for an internet study to explore the relationship between weight, BMI, perception, etc… But I’ve run into a design snag. > > The core idea is that I would get female volunteers to give me three photos - a head shot, a full length photo clothed, and a full length photo in either a bikini or underwear, with the head cropped off or blurred. > > The snag is that I can’t prevent people from grabbing the pictures - I’m sure it could be done but it’s not a level of work I want to go into for this idea. > > Bearing in mind the truth of a phrase I’ve heard - “Removing information from the net is like removing pee from a pool” - what are your feelings on participating in such a survey? Without knowing more about your plan, it’s not really possible to answer any of your questions about it. I can give you some general advice that holds true for most sociological investigations, though. A big problem with studies like I assume you are trying to perform here is that it is extremely difficult to overcome the handicap of selection bias. That is, if you just solicit volunteers, you’re going to get a sample of people that is not at all representative of the general population in that _none of them mind sending a stranger pictures over the internet._ You can imagine that their own body image issues (or lack thereof) are not going to be representative of the greater society in a number of important respects. That’s fine as far as it goes, but most people who study these kinds of things really are looking to find some result that can be applied to society in general. This is why internet-based investigations rarely make their way into major journals. Does this matter to you at all? ---
**Author:** ![Rala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@Rala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rala)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-can-i-get-some-input/655955/8 "2013-04-18T06:34:50Z")
> [@Heart\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > And there’s [Illustrated BMI Categories](http://www.flickr.com/photos/77367764@N00/sets/72157602199008819/), and another one with the photos arranged along height and weight axes, which I can’t seem to find. [Here it is.](http://www.cockeyed.com/photos/bodies/heightweight.html) ---
**Author:** ![PurpleClogs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f04885/32.png) [@PurpleClogs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PurpleClogs)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-can-i-get-some-input/655955/9 "2013-04-18T07:04:13Z")
You have no way to verify the data they’re giving you goes with the person in the photos. Or even if it’s them.