A topic that we have been discussing in class is public opinion polls and how politicians use them. We've learned about different sampling techniques and biases that affect the results and how this can serve as an advantage or disadvantage to candidates. The most obvious reason for why politicians use the results is to "track" the respondents' attitudes and see where they stand on certain issues. They can see who supports them, who is against them, and who has an opinion that involves both sides. Based on this data, they can make adjustments to their campaigns and platforms to try and gain more support. Another aspect to consider is the "marketing" side of politics. Candidates can use the results to "understand" the public better and cater to their opinions using catchphrases and slogans, just like how President Trump uses MAGA and Ronald Reagan used "just say no" for the "War on Drugs." But a facet that has not gotten much coverage is how politicians use the data to manipulate the public into supporting them or going against their opponents. When a person sees the poll results and how a candidate has garnered a lot of support or opposition for an issue, they may be pressured into changing their opinion and give in to the majority. This is a subtle yet significant political strategy that is used. Finally, the actual usefulness of the data must be considered. We know that our nation has poor voter turnout for a variety of reasons, one being that people who have "limited knowledge" regarding politics do not care to vote. However, anyone across the political spectrum can respond to these polls, so when people who aren't as knowledgable about these issues weigh in their opinion, it affects the value of the data.
Do you think that the benefits of polls outweigh its cons? How harmful do you think polls are when it comes to manipulating the citizenry?
source: https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2015/11/30/does-polling-undermine-democracy/politicians-use-polls-to-adjust-their-message
I believe that political polls can be very harmful in politics. Not only do political polls influence candidates who may change their policies or opinions based on the polls but also voters. When polls are publicized people who are not informed on issues may choose one side based on its popularity and people who are in the minority may also change the opinion. It is a basic human instinct to try and fit in with others so many peoples political opinions can be decided based on the results of the polls simply because they want to be a part of the majority rather than the minority. I believe that without political polls candidates will be able to stick with their own policies and voter can develop opinions on their own without any influence.
ReplyDeleteI believe that polls are overall harmful to the voting population, especially with how heavy of a emphasis the media places on polls. If voters are constantly bombarded with public opinion polls, they are less incentivized to form their own opinions and go out into the polls to voice their own opinions in the fear that it will not matter in the end. Polls also discourage politicians from targeting certain voters, even if they count for a lot (like California) because polls show that they are deeply embedded on certain issues.
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