Measuring Public Opinion

1
Chapter 8

• Section 2

2
Measuring Public Opinion

• Elections create a mandate for the elected.
• Interest groups are a means by which public
  opinion is made known.
• The media can create public opinion.
• Public officials can get a gauge on public
  opinion through contact with the people.

3
Polls

• Polls provide the best information of public
  opinion.
• Straw votes arent reliable due to false
  assumptions.
• Todays famous polls are the Gallup Poll and the
  Harris Survey.

4
The Polling Process

• You must first define the population that the
  poll aims to measure.
• Then you need to find an accurate sample of the
  universe.
• Questions must be worded in a way that wouldnt
  influence answers.
• The interviewing must be done in a consistent
  way.
• The information collected must be compiled in a
  consistent way.

5
Evaluating Polls

• Most polls are fairly reliable.
• Its hard to measure the intensity of opinions.
• Sometimes pollsters shape public opinion.

6
Limits on Public Opinion

• Public opinion doesnt necessarily shape how the
  government works.
• The government works to protect the voice of the
  minority.