I'd say they're important. While expert opinion carries more weight, the collective views of the common folk would reflect the views of the population, or that's how its supposed to be if it weren't for trolls, people who are paid to interfere with such things. yes, they are important but their reliability is questionable.
Personally I am not a huge fan of every aspect of every day being polled. Elections too. Just adds to the "herd mentality" behavior that has become such a greater part of life.
I see them as a form of advertising. A test can be manipulated to lead to thinking that Trump is going to win or Biden is going to win just because the way the test is set up and that may influence other voters.
Polls published in the media before the election, especially in the U.S., are about manipulating public opinion and behavior. If the polls show one candidate up by ten points, it is meant to have the effects of pulling a few on-the-fence voters to the “winning” side (everybody wants to vote for a winner) and depressing the supporters of the other candidate.
The evidence for this is how the pollsters always adjust their numbers in the last week before an election. They have to maintain credibility, and so the numbers shift in a more realistic direction.
Polls reflect who one asks and what questions one asks. Pollsters have great latitude to manipulate results.
Polls published in the media before the election, especially in the U.S., are about manipulating public opinion and behavior. If the polls show one candidate up by ten points, it is meant to have the effects of pulling a few on-the-fence voters to the “winning” side (everybody wants to vote for a winner) and depressing the supporters of the other candidate.
The evidence for this is how the pollsters always adjust their numbers in the last week before an election. They have to maintain credibility, and so the numbers shift in a more realistic direction.
Polls reflect who one asks and what questions one asks. Pollsters have great latitude to manipulate results.
I tend to agree.
It can work both ways, though, and mischievous respondents can screw with pollsters to give intentionally misleading results. There's been much talk of Trump supporters lying to pollsters this time around to give the Democrats a false sense of security. In any case, we'll find out the real result shortly.
Ask one group of people you'll get one answer. Ask another group you'll get a different answer. Rephrase the question and you'll get different answers again.
As we saw with the last US election,nothing is concrete.But when record numbers are early voting, it means the incumbent is in trouble.And hopefully it holds true and Trump gets the flick.
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Toshihiro
I'd say they're important. While expert opinion carries more weight, the collective views of the common folk would reflect the views of the population, or that's how its supposed to be if it weren't for trolls, people who are paid to interfere with such things. yes, they are important but their reliability is questionable.
Wobot
France bans polls being published on the day of the election and the one before it to stop them influencing the result, seems a good idea to me:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-35350419
Kaerimashita
We're about to find out for the US at least.
Personally I am not a huge fan of every aspect of every day being polled. Elections too. Just adds to the "herd mentality" behavior that has become such a greater part of life.
Reckless
I see them as a form of advertising. A test can be manipulated to lead to thinking that Trump is going to win or Biden is going to win just because the way the test is set up and that may influence other voters.
mikeylikesit
Polls published in the media before the election, especially in the U.S., are about manipulating public opinion and behavior. If the polls show one candidate up by ten points, it is meant to have the effects of pulling a few on-the-fence voters to the “winning” side (everybody wants to vote for a winner) and depressing the supporters of the other candidate.
The evidence for this is how the pollsters always adjust their numbers in the last week before an election. They have to maintain credibility, and so the numbers shift in a more realistic direction.
Polls reflect who one asks and what questions one asks. Pollsters have great latitude to manipulate results.
kyronstavic
I tend to agree.
It can work both ways, though, and mischievous respondents can screw with pollsters to give intentionally misleading results. There's been much talk of Trump supporters lying to pollsters this time around to give the Democrats a false sense of security. In any case, we'll find out the real result shortly.
BertieWooster
Ask one group of people you'll get one answer. Ask another group you'll get a different answer. Rephrase the question and you'll get different answers again.
58.99% of survey results are misleading!
cracaphat
As we saw with the last US election,nothing is concrete.But when record numbers are early voting, it means the incumbent is in trouble.And hopefully it holds true and Trump gets the flick.
kyushubill
s reliable as the person administering the poll.
Open Minded
Polls are desserving democracy. Your opinion or willing to vote should not be influence by that.
ushosh123
Polls should only be meaningful for the candidates. In the absence of the reason behind other's opinions, shouldn't matter to you how they vote.
albaleo
All opinion polls are completely accurate in the sense they tell you exactly how people answer questions in polls.
ramses68
Polls are garbage. If I want someone else's opinion, I'll ask them.