When answering opinion questions here do you presume that the questioner has already decided their own opinion?

funnily enough no, unless it has been stated within the question.

Usually, but I ignore it.

Not always - depends on who is asking it and how they have phrased their question.

I suppose I usually do, but that is probably because I am basing this answer on my usual practice. However, having formed an opinion I, and I would hope others, are prepared to give serious consideration to the answers, and be prepared to alter their views. Personally I think I would find it very difficult to pose a question of this sort without at least having in my mind an outline of an opinion.

I will admit that sometimes I do ask questions with some sort of an opinion already formed in my head, but that does not prevent me in any way from seeing it from differing points of view. Sometimes someone will give an answer that makes me rethink my stance on things, which is a good thing. Sometimes I will not have thought of a particular angle on my question and I do know for sure that asking the question will get a varied selection of responses. Some mirror my preconceived notions and some go in completely the opposite direction, but I would be a naive fool to dismiss those views that do not concur with mine. It is nice to get a few different viewpoints because a lot of times, I just hadn't thought about it in a particular way. When I get some differing viewpoints about a particular subject, it makes me think a bit more about it and allows me to consider possibilities that maybe I had not thought of before. Sometimes I post a completely unbiased question with which I have no specific opinion of. It just depends. I highly suspect that I am not the only one who has done this before.

I answer with my opinion - unless it has already been adequately expressed by someone else, in which case I'll hit the "Rate as good answer" button on their answer. Sometimes I'll do both.

If I've asked for opinions, I (try to) rate according to quality of answer, not content.

Sometimes.

Sometimes you can get a sort of 'second sense' from the way a question is pitched that the person has already pretty much decided for themselves.

Their motives for still asking the question are what needs to be taken into account.

It is fine with me whether someone just wants extra support and corroboration.

It is equally fine if they are just asking out of curiosity about what others on Lycos think.

It is even fine if they ask a question that they already know the answer to - so long as the question is interesting and thought provoking and generates some lively interchange.

Either way, I still learn something new, it is interesting and it is 'entertaining' for both parties.

So it is a Win-Win situation in most cases. What more can you ask for?

In a lot of cases I woulds have to say yes. Some people are really not happy with some answers given, as it does not agree with their way of thinking.

It's very clear that some members regularly ask questions, looking for answers that will reinforce their established views.

Sometimes, these people (and most of us know who they are) will rate a conflicting opinion as Not Helpful. Sometimes, they will make comments (often, quite extensive) disputing or ridiculing the contradictory opinions. If the answerer rises to his own defense, sometimes a lengthy diatribe gets started.

I think many of us, including me, just avoid answering questions posted by those who have previously demonstrated their closed-mindedness.

It's very similar to the way most of us don't bother to answer questions by those who have displayed empty-mindedness.

There are some cases where the highly opinionated and dogmatic are both closed-minded and empty-minded. As I said, most of us know who they are.

If I want to ask a question then it is because I do need help on the question and I like to read all the answers and somewhere in the middle comes the answer.I would not waste my time asking a question if I had already figured it out whats the point?