By public, do you mean having the reason visible by that comment/snap for other user's to view?
I don't think that is a very good idea. If my comment was down voted for being "Off-topic" and that reason was displayed beside it, every time a user reads my comment they will also see that it was marked as "Off-topic". They may have not initially thought my comment was "Off-topic", but because the system displayed that message, subconsciously they were suggested that it is "Off-topic". Basically, if a down vote reason is made public, I think it may inadvertently encourage more down votes.
Same way that you have to inquire about your downvote reasons now, by clicking then it appearing, it would appear for anyone else. So unless someone was curious as to why your post was downvoted, they wouldn't see it. I see what you're saying, but I think the benefit would outweigh the "herding" mentality you're talking about.
By public, do you mean having the reason visible by that comment/snap for other user's to view?
I don't think that is a very good idea. If my comment was down voted for being "Off-topic" and that reason was displayed beside it, every time a user reads my comment they will also see that it was marked as "Off-topic". They may have not initially thought my comment was "Off-topic", but because the system displayed that message, subconsciously they were suggested that it is "Off-topic". Basically, if a down vote reason is made public, I think it may inadvertently encourage more down votes.
Same way that you have to inquire about your downvote reasons now, by clicking then it appearing, it would appear for anyone else. So unless someone was curious as to why your post was downvoted, they wouldn't see it. I see what you're saying, but I think the benefit would outweigh the "herding" mentality you're talking about.