
eBook - ePub
The Illusion of Public Opinion
Fact and Artifact in American Public Opinion Polls
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub
About this book
In a rigorous critique of public opinion polling in the United States, 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 September 11, 2001, amplified by additional examples drawn from the 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.
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Information
Table of contents
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Dedication
- Table of Contents
- Table of Contents
- Preface
- 1 - The Elusiveness of “Public Opinion”
- 2 - Illusory Opinions on Public Affairs
- 3 - Survey Questions and Reality
- 4 - The Changing American Voter: Fact and Artifact
- 5 - September 11’s Ephemeral Opinions
- 6 - Ambiguities of Measurement
- 7 - Spurious Impressions in the Press
- 8 - Illusions of Causality: Asking Why
- 9 - Improving the Measurement of Public Opinion
- References
- Index
- About the Author
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Yes, you can access The Illusion of Public Opinion by George F. Bishop in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Politics & International Relations & Civics & Citizenship. We have over 1.5 million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.