PS 1100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 15: Sampling Error, Jargon, Sampling Frame

• School: App State
• Department: Political Science
• Course: PS 1100
• Professor: Kevin Mullinax

Document Summary

Public policies do seem responsive to changes in public opinion. Gilens and page study- when in conflict with the wealthy, the preferences of average citizens have almost no effect on policy. Trust in government is key to government legitimacy, steadily gone down across party lines. Survey/polls- scientific instruments for measuring public opinion *test* Sampling frame- list of everyone in your target population. Coverage error- gap between target population and sampling frame. Sampling error- gap between sampling frame and your sample. Measurement error- gap between ideal measurement and response obtained. Problems with survey questions- question wording, excessive leading, ambiguity, double- barreled, leading/loaded, negative statements, slang, jargon, question order. The more the media talks about an issue, the more important we think it is. Not only what issues are talked about, but what issues aren"t talked about. Priming- sets criteria for which we evaluate candidates and issues.