Survey Results
A total of 82 people filled out this survey! Results took a while to compile, but are below, including a few comments from various people about each, and as well as my own answers to the questions. If numbers don't add up, that's because some people chose not to answer that wuestion or gave more than one answer to it.
Q) What draws your attention the most to someone who is sneezing?
If it is a person I know 5
If the person is attractive 27
The sound of the sneeze, itself 19
The sight, itself 0
Seeing and hearing, both 37
I prefer not to look or listen to someone who is sneezing 0
If it is someone I know and never seen sneeze before 1
Whether they use a tissue, hands, handkerchief, etc 1
Depends on who it is 5
Everything but not looking, especially if I see/hear them for the first time 1
For me, I think it depends upon the sneeze itself, the sight and sound of it, as to what holds my attention more. While I must admite it helps if the person if good-looking, that's not necissarily what draws me to it most of the time- it's the sneeze itself. And I do find it's much more thrilling if it's someone I know and have not yet seen sneeze(but have wanted to).
Q) Is there something which heightens your enjoyment of observing sneezing?
The attractiveness of the person 24
The situation in which the person sneezes 12
Accompanyments(before and after) such as sniffling, blowing nose, etc 14
Warning through talking or build up of the sneeze 35
All of the above 4
Person experiences pleasure in sneezing 1
Depends on the person sneezing 1
Talking 1
Just about everything heightens my enjoyment, especially the talking, accompanyments, if I know and like the person, or think he's attractive... anything which extends the time even a little adds to the experience for me.
Q) Which do you most like to observe?
A single sneeze 3
Doubles 5
Multiples 61
A sneeze that begins but stops short, before it can come out 6
All of above 3
Multiples! The more, the better! Though lately I have to admit I've been intreigued by doubles, or sneezes of a set number in general- it's very interesting to watch someone sneeze when you know that every time he/she will sneeze the same number, and wonder how/why that happenes.
Q) If you are 'interested' in sneezing, was it observing someone who first made you feel this way?
Yes 45
No 28
I don't know. The Sesame Street experience was when I first realized I was attracted to them... does that count? But before that, I always felt drawn to them for some reason... don't know when/how that started.
Q) What do you do when you observe someone sneezing?
I watch carefully, inconspicuously 68
I like to listen only 3
I look away so as not to embarrass the person or let them know I'm paying attention 10
I do nothing 3
If someone I know, I joke about it so I can watch fully 2
Act for fear the person will try harder not to sneeze 1
Do nothing for fear it will distract the person enough to not to sneeze any more 1
Depends on the situation, but most often I watch and try not to be seen. Sometimes(especially if I know the person is shy) I will look away.
Q) If you watch, where do you look?
At everything as a whole 24
Nose 6
Nose, if it is particularly well-formed 1
Mouth 0
Eyes 1
The whole face 46
Where it's going 0
I pay no attention to the person at all 3
Everything, especially the way it contracts at the waist 3
I look at the whole person. I love the facial expressions but I like to see everything together, the breaths, movements of the body, as well as the face, especially the eyes and nose.
Q) Do you like to involve yourself?
I say "Bless You", "Gesundheit", something to that effect 31 (if I know the person 7)
I offer a tissue/handkerchief if it's needed 2
I talk about it/sneezing with the person(change the subject to it) 13 (if I know the person 2)
I do something only if I know the person 12
Depends on the circumstances 5
Nothing, I feel weird saying "bless you"....seems like I lack the qualifications 1
I do nothing at all 31
I thought it was interesting that there are the same number of people who bless others as there are who do nothing.
Myself, I used to do nothing, but I've made it a point to try to bless the person lately, especially if it is someone I know.
Q) Would you care to share an observation of a person/people you saw/heard sneezing?
The observations people have submitted have been put together on a separate page:
Observations
Feel free to e-mail more to me as often as you like to add to this page, or check out the forums where there are usually others! :-)
