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Bayrou Rising | 45 comments (45 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)
Re: Bayrou Rising (none / 1)
A poll about the influence of the polls on polling...?

[head explodes]

Statistically, that's surely pointless, because subjective responses most likely have no relationship to actual voting decisions.

Although I suppose they may tell you something about people's conscious beliefs about their own media savvy.

(Is that a useful thing? I'm not sure that it is.)

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Mon Mar 12th, 2007 at 06:40:28 AM EST
Re: Bayrou Rising (4.00 / 2)
The poll was in fact a fuller survey re market research, and included some questions on political polling.

I thought it was telling that the reponses were so clear-cut: the polls feed into a media game that fools everybody... but me.

I quoted it in my argument above because it tends to back up what I'm saying about respondents being more and more reluctant and cagy - or downright making up responses. The primary (or sincere, or naïve) nature of responses can no longer be counted on at all.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Mon Mar 12th, 2007 at 07:21:08 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Bayrou Rising (4.00 / 3)
I tend to believe that since a few years ago, as an answer to the polls harassment, citizens/respondents are more and more playing with the polls. In fact, were I to be polled, I'll probably do so.

"Dieu se rit des hommes qui se plaignent des conséquences alors qu'ils en chérissent les causes" Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet
by Melanchthon on Mon Mar 12th, 2007 at 07:54:02 AM EST
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Re: Bayrou Rising (4.00 / 2)
I've just read that Ségolène Royal actually said this recently - people play with the polls.

See this in Le Monde.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Mon Mar 12th, 2007 at 08:26:49 AM EST
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Re: Bayrou Rising (none / 1)
In that case, she means strategic playing (in order to influence her agenda). It might be true, but what I meant was more playing for the fun of fooling the pollsters...

"Dieu se rit des hommes qui se plaignent des conséquences alors qu'ils en chérissent les causes" Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet
by Melanchthon on Mon Mar 12th, 2007 at 12:19:34 PM EST
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Re: Bayrou Rising (4.00 / 2)
To argue anything but "the polls are wrong" in light of the past two Presidential elections is absurd.  Of course they polls are wrong.  They could easily be off by as much as 10-15% per candidate.
by paving on Mon Mar 12th, 2007 at 04:56:26 PM EST
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Bayrou Rising | 45 comments (45 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)
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