Polls And Politics

Author : Leo Bogart
Publisher : Transaction Publishers
Page : 308 pages
File Size : 45,8 Mb
Release : 2024-06-14
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN : 1412831504

Get Book

Polls and the Awareness of Public Opinion by Leo Bogart Pdf

How well can polls measure public opinion? Should government policies follow majority opinion? Do polls influence elections? Can there be polls under a dictatorship? Recent elections throughout the world have made these issues ever more crucial. "Polls and the Awareness of Public Opinion, "initially published under the title "Silent Politics, "is the first book to look upon polls and the awareness of poll results as forces that influence public opinion. It is a penetrating assessment of the uses of polls, their misuses, and the absurdities carried out in their name. Bogart argues that predictions based on polls can be misleading since they reflect a transient stage in a public opinion that is constantly and often rapidly changing.

Author : Michael A. Genovese,Matthew J. Streb
Publisher : State University of New York Press
Page : 205 pages
File Size : 41,5 Mb
Release : 2012-02-01
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780791485095

Get Book

Polls and Politics by Michael A. Genovese,Matthew J. Streb Pdf

This hard-hitting and engaging examination of polls and American politics asks an essential question: do polls contribute to the vitality of our democracy or are they undermining the health of our political system? Leading scholars address several key issues such as how various types of polls affect democracy, the meaning attributed to polling data by citizens and the media, the use of polls by presidents, and how political elites respond—or do not respond—to public polls. The contributors assert that while polls tread a fine line between informing and manipulating the public, they remain valuable so long as a robust democracy obliges its political leaders to respond to the expressed will of the people.

Author : Mark Pack
Publisher : Reaktion Books
Page : 353 pages
File Size : 47,9 Mb
Release : 2022-05-13
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781789145687

Get Book

Polling UnPacked by Mark Pack Pdf

From a political-polling expert, an eye-opening—and hilarious—look at the origins of polls and how they have been used and abused ever since. Opinion polls dominate media coverage of politics, especially elections. But how do the polls work? How do we tell the good from the bad? And in light of recent polling disasters, can we trust them at all? Polling UnPacked gives us the full story, from the first rudimentary polls in the nineteenth century, through attempts by politicians to ban polling in the twentieth century, to the very latest techniques and controversies from the last few years. Equal parts enlightening and hilarious, the book requires no prior knowledge of polling or statistics to understand. But even hardened pollsters will find much to enjoy, from how polling has been used to help plan military invasions to why an exhausted interviewer was accidentally instrumental in inventing exit polls. Written by a former political pollster and the creator of Britain’s foremost polling-intention database, Polling UnPacked reveals which opinion polls to trust, which to ignore, and which, frankly, to laugh at. It will change the way we see political coverage forever.

Author : Jason Roy,Shane P. Singh,Patrick Fournier
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 137 pages
File Size : 42,9 Mb
Release : 2021-10-07
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781108892131

Get Book

The Power of Polls? by Jason Roy,Shane P. Singh,Patrick Fournier Pdf

Public opinion polls have become increasingly prominent during elections, but how they affect voting behaviour remains uncertain. In this work, we estimate the effects of poll exposure using an experimental design in which we randomly assign the availability of polls to participants in simulated election campaigns. We draw upon results from ten independent experiments conducted across six countries on four continents (Argentina, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States) to examine how polls affect the amount of information individuals seek and the votes that they cast. We further assess how poll effects differ according to individual-level factors, such as partisanship and political sophistication, and the content included in polls and how it is presented. Our work provides a comprehensive assessment of the power of polls and the implications for poll reporting in contemporary elections.

Author : Susan Herbst
Publisher : University of Chicago Press
Page : 244 pages
File Size : 53,5 Mb
Release : 1995-08-15
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 0226327434

Get Book

Numbered Voices by Susan Herbst Pdf

Quantifying the American mood through opinion polls appears to be an unbiased means for finding out what people want. But in Numbered Voices, Susan Herbst demonstrates that the way public opinion is measured affects the use that voters, legislators, and journalists make of it. Exploring the history of public opinion in the United States from the mid-nineteenth century to the present day, Herbst shows how numbers served both instrumental and symbolic functions, not only conveying neutral information but creating a basis authority. Addressing how the quantification of public opinion has affected contemporary politics and the democratic process, Herbst asks difficult but fundamental questions about the workings of American politics. "An original and thought-provoking analysis of why we have polls, what they accomplish, and how they affect the current political scene. Herbst's scholarship is impeccable, her writing is clear and crisp, and her findings are original. . . . Every reader will benefit by carefully weighing the issues she raises and the conclusions she draws."—Doris A. Graber, Political Science Quarterly "An intelligent, theoretically rich, and historically broad account of public opinion over several millennia. . . . The historical accounts are interesting and her interpretations are thought-provoking."—Paul Brace, Journal of American History

Author : Charles W. Roll,Albert Hadley Cantril
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 234 pages
File Size : 51,6 Mb
Release : 1980
Category : History
ISBN : STANFORD:36105035841167

Get Book

Polls, Their Use and Misuse in Politics by Charles W. Roll,Albert Hadley Cantril Pdf

The book describes Cantril's experience of interpreting what the polls reported and analyzing the meaning of the fundamental structures of attitudes and prejudice and the underlying depths of public opinion. In addition to throwing light on the techniques of public opinion polls by which the public is being constantly assayed, the authors warn, instruct and strike a moral and social concern in a timely fashion.

Author : G. Elliott Morris
Publisher : W. W. Norton & Company
Page : 175 pages
File Size : 52,6 Mb
Release : 2022-07-12
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780393866988

Get Book

Strength in Numbers: How Polls Work and Why We Need Them by G. Elliott Morris Pdf

An insightful exploration of political polling and a bold defense of its crucial role in a modern democracy. Public opinion polling is the ultimate democratic process; it gives every person an equal voice in letting elected leaders know what they need and want. But in the eyes of the public, polls today are tarnished. Recent election forecasts have routinely missed the mark and media coverage of polls has focused solely on their ability to predict winners and losers. Polls deserve better. In Strength in Numbers, data journalist G. Elliott Morris argues that the larger purpose of political polls is to improve democracy, not just predict elections. Whether used by interest groups, the press, or politicians, polling serves as a pipeline from the governed to the government, giving citizens influence they would otherwise lack. No one who believes in democracy can afford to give up on polls; they should commit, instead, to understanding them better. In a vibrant history of polling, Morris takes readers from the first semblance of data-gathering in the ancient world through to the development of modern-day scientific polling. He explains how the internet and “big data” have solved many challenges in polling—and created others. He covers the rise of polling aggregation and methods of election forecasting, reveals how data can be distorted and misrepresented, and demystifies the real uncertainty of polling. Candidly acknowledging where polls have gone wrong in the past, Morris charts a path for the industry’s future where it can truly work for the people. Persuasively argued and deeply researched, Strength in Numbers is an essential guide to understanding and embracing one of the most important and overlooked democratic institutions in the United States.

Author : Thomas E. Mann,Gary R. Orren
Publisher : Brookings Institution Press
Page : 183 pages
File Size : 48,6 Mb
Release : 2010-12-01
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780815718475

Get Book

Media Polls in American Politics by Thomas E. Mann,Gary R. Orren Pdf

Public opinion pools have become staples of contemporary political reporting, and most national news organizations have sophisticated in-house polling operations. The increased number and quality of polls conducted and reported by the press give the public a chance to help see the agendas of campaigns and define the meaning of elections. Yet competition and the need for fast responses to events often lead news organizations to misuse polls in a way that diminishes rather than enhances democracy. Polls can shape public opinion as well as describe it; they can set the news agenda and influence the coverage of political events in ways hostile to a constructive dialogue between citizens and their leaders. In this volume, media specialist and well-known reporters provide a comprehensive survey of the problems and possibilities of polling by media organizations in the 1990s and beyond. Thomas Mann and Gary Orren analyze the strengths and weaknesses of media polls and their impact on American politics. Everett Carll Ladd and John Benson discuss the extraordinary growth of polling in news organizations for the past two decades. Kathleen Frankovic addresses the tension between the needs of news organizations for quick results and the need to preserve the standards of survey research. Henry Brady and Gary Orren examine the most serious methodological problems with news media polls. Michael Kagay explores the sources of well-publicized variability in poll findings. Michael Traugott considers the complicated question of how polls influence the public and whether their effects are benign or harmful. Finally, E. J. Dionne, Jr. examines media organizations' obsession with polls and the impact polls have on reporters. The authors offer recommendations for improving the conduct and use of media polls so that citizens can make better informed and enlightened decisions about the public agenda.

Author : Matt Henn
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 269 pages
File Size : 43,9 Mb
Release : 2019-01-15
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780429834837

Get Book

Opinion Polls and Volatile Electorates by Matt Henn Pdf

Published in 1998, Opinion Polls and Volatile Electorates presents a comparative overview of the development of opinion polling in late-capitalist and post-communist societies. The author considers two related issues to help readers understand the role of polls in political affairs and the prospects for polling in the the future. Firstly, it is argued that there are certain tendencies unfolding in both late-capitalist and post-communist societies (which the author terms Complex Politics) which make polling an increasingly difficult activity. The processes affect the ability of polls to measure public opinion effectively, and to contribute to political democratisation. Secondly, the book examines whether polls extend or inhibit democratic processes. The long-standing debate between advocates and critics of polls is considered and applied to both large-capitalist and post-communist societies. It is concluded that while opinion polls may in certain ways improve democratic practices, they can also be used by powerful special interest groups to frustrate these aims.

Author : Kenneth F Warren
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 414 pages
File Size : 40,5 Mb
Release : 2018-02-15
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780429979538

Get Book

In Defense Of Public Opinion Polling by Kenneth F Warren Pdf

In the 2000 national elections, $100 million was spent on campaign polling alone. A $5 billion industry from Gallup to Zogby, public opinion polling is growing rapidly with the explosion of consumer-oriented market research, political and media polling, and controversial Internet polling. By many measures from editorial cartoons to bumper stickers we hate pollsters and their polls. We think of polling as hopelessly flawed, invasive of our privacy, and just plain annoying. At times we even argue that polling is illegal, unconstitutional, and downright un-American. Yet we crave the information polling provides. What do other Americans think about gun control? School vouchers? Airline performance?

Author : G. Elliot Morris
Publisher : National Geographic Books
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 48,5 Mb
Release : 2022-07-12
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780393866971

Get Book

Strength in Numbers by G. Elliot Morris Pdf

An insightful exploration of political polling and a bold defense of its crucial role in a modern democracy. Public opinion polling is the ultimate democratic process; it gives every person an equal voice in letting elected leaders know what they need and want. But in the eyes of the public, polls today are tarnished. Recent election forecasts have routinely missed the mark and media coverage of polls has focused solely on their ability to predict winners and losers. Polls deserve better. In Strength in Numbers, data journalist G. Elliott Morris argues that the larger purpose of political polls is to improve democracy, not just predict elections. Whether used by interest groups, the press, or politicians, polling serves as a pipeline from the governed to the government, giving citizens influence they would otherwise lack. No one who believes in democracy can afford to give up on polls; they should commit, instead, to understanding them better. In a vibrant history of polling, Morris takes readers from the first semblance of data-gathering in the ancient world through to the development of modern-day scientific polling. He explains how the internet and “big data” have solved many challenges in polling—and created others. He covers the rise of polling aggregation and methods of election forecasting, reveals how data can be distorted and misrepresented, and demystifies the real uncertainty of polling. Candidly acknowledging where polls have gone wrong in the past, Morris charts a path for the industry’s future where it can truly work for the people. Persuasively argued and deeply researched, Strength in Numbers is an essential guide to understanding and embracing one of the most important and overlooked democratic institutions in the United States.

Author : Albert Hadley Cantril,Susan Davis Cantril
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 316 pages
File Size : 46,5 Mb
Release : 1991
Category : Social Science
ISBN : STANFORD:36105041143814

Get Book

The Opinion Connection by Albert Hadley Cantril,Susan Davis Cantril Pdf

Author : George F. Bishop
Publisher : Rowman & Littlefield
Page : 248 pages
File Size : 49,6 Mb
Release : 2005
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 0742516458

Get Book

The Illusion of Public Opinion by George F. Bishop Pdf

In a rigorous critique of public opinion polling in the U.S., George F. Bishop makes the case that a lot of what passes as "public opinion" in mass media today is an illusion, an artifact of measurement created by vague or misleading survey questions presented to respondents who typically construct their opinions on the spot. Using evidence from a wide variety of data sources, Bishop shows that widespread public ignorance and poorly informed opinions are the norm rather than definitive public opinion on key political, social, and cultural issues of the day. The Illusion of Public Opinion presents a number of cautionary tales about how American public opinion has supposedly changed since 9/11, amplified by additional examples on other occasions drawn from the American National Election Studies. Bishop's analysis of the pitfalls of asking survey questions and interpreting poll results leads the reader to a more skeptical appreciation of the art and science of public opinion polling as it is practiced today.

Author : C. Holtz-Bacha,J. Strömbäck
Publisher : Springer
Page : 291 pages
File Size : 41,7 Mb
Release : 2012-04-05
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 9780230374959

Get Book

Opinion Polls and the Media by C. Holtz-Bacha,J. Strömbäck Pdf

Opinion Polls and the Media provides the most comprehensive analysis to date on the relationship between the media, opinion polls, and public opinion. Looking at the extent to which the media, through their use of opinion polls, both reflect and shape public opinion, it brings together a team of leading scholars and analyzes theoretical and methodological approaches to the media and their use of opinion polls. The contributors explore how the media use opinion polls in a range of countries across the world, and analyze the effects and uses of opinion polls by the public as well as political actors.

Author : Harold Mendelsohn,Irving Crespi
Publisher : Scranton : Chandler Publishing Company
Page : 352 pages
File Size : 50,9 Mb
Release : 1970
Category : History
ISBN : UOM:39015000567944

Get Book

Polls, Television, and the New Politics by Harold Mendelsohn,Irving Crespi Pdf