Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site watdcsu.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!watdcsu!mackie From: mackie@watdcsu.UUCP (D. Mulholland ) Newsgroups: can.politics Subject: public opinion polls Message-ID: <483@watdcsu.UUCP> Date: Fri, 5-Oct-84 11:22:18 EDT Article-I.D.: watdcsu.483 Posted: Fri Oct 5 11:22:18 1984 Date-Received: Sat, 6-Oct-84 05:21:37 EDT Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario Lines: 27 <"...I ate it up, and spit it out..."> Mark: Concerning your recent statement in the capital punishment debate: >It has been shown that polls have little effect on public opinion. They >merely happen to report on what that opinion is at the time. This is news to me. I had understood that studies of this subject usually report no evidence that reporting poll results influences the outcome of a subsequent vote. The American networks regularly use these results to quash criticism of their exit polling and election coverage. There is a big difference between "no evidence..." and "little effect...". Can you find me the study/studies that you refer to? Perhaps this is true for the issues of capital punishment and abortion, but I don't believe it for a second on most political questions. Remember the Joe Clark effect? Furthermore, I think this has rather far reaching implications to topics such as the pornography/censorship debate. Doug net: mackie@watdcsu snail mail: Computer Systems Group 158 University Ave. W. Waterloo, Ontario, CANADA N2L 3G1 (519) 885-1211 Ext. 2253