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Wor ding of Questions. In August 2019, Gallup asked a random sample of 2291 American adults the question Are you for or against a law which would make it illegal to manufacture, soll or poseess semi-automatic guns known as assault rifles? \(47 \%\) said for. At the same time, Gallup also asked the question, Do you think there should or should not be a ban on the manufacture, posession and sale of seni-automatic gurs, known as asstult rifles? \(61 \%\) said there should be. 26 Why do you think the result s for the two questions differ by so much?

Short Answer

Expert verified
The differing wording likely leads to varied perceived seriousness and implications, affecting respondents' reactions.

Step by step solution

01

Analyze the Survey Questions

Examine the wording of the two surveyed questions. Both polls inquire about opinions on banning semi-automatic guns, yet the phrasing differs. Consider how one mentions making it illegal and how another explicitly discusses a ban on the possession and sale of these weapons.
02

Evaluate Emotional Impact of Wording

Assess how the phrasing may evoke different emotional responses. The first question uses terms like 'illegal' and 'against a law,' which may evoke a stronger negative reaction than the second question, which focuses on whether there 'should' or 'should not' be a ban, possibly allowing for a more nuanced consideration.
03

Consider Social and Political Implications

Consider how the two wordings intersect with social and political beliefs. The wording in the first question could be seen as more direct and strict, aligning it more with legal implications, while the second question seems to focus more on general opinion, which might appeal to those not wanting to legislate opinions.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Emotional Impact of Wording
Survey questions have a significant power in shaping responses due to the emotional impact of wording. The language used in a question can evoke different emotional responses and potentially lead to varied results.
In the context of the survey above, let's explore this through an example:
  • The term "illegal" in the first question might trigger a strong emotional response. People often associate legality with ethics and morality, which can make them react defensively.
  • On the other hand, the second question uses softer language like "should or should not," which can encourage more open-minded consideration. This phrasing allows respondents to think about the pros and cons without feeling pressured by the notion of legality.
Words and phrases carry emotional weight. Therefore, the phrasing of questions needs careful thought to avoid unintentionally leading responses or generating emotional bias.
Social and Political Implications
The wording of survey questions can also align closely with social and political views, which can heavily influence responses. Language that might seem neutral can actually play off culturally or politically charged topics.
For example, in the first question, using terms like "make it illegal" could resonate with individuals who hold strong political views regarding government control and personal freedoms.
  • This question might appeal to those who already have an opinion on legislative involvement, potentially aligning with conservative views on policy making.
  • Conversely, the second question's focus on whether there should be a ban uses more exploratory language. It might attract respondents more interested in discussing broad concepts, aligning this question more with liberal thinking.
Understanding the social and political implications of word choices is crucial. Questions should be designed to focus on gathering unbiased data without politicizing the survey.
Bias in Survey Questions
Ensuring that survey questions remain unbiased is essential to gather accurate and representative data. Anytime a survey's phrasing presents bias, the credibility of the results is at risk.
Bias can creep in through:
  • Leading questions that suggest a "correct" or socially acceptable response.
  • Loaded language that might evoke an emotional response rather than a factual one.
The Gallup survey shows how different phrasing can lead to varied results. To minimize bias:
  • Questions should be neutral, aiming for clarity without suggesting a particular stance.
  • Avoid using jargon or emotionally charged terms that could influence the respondent's answer.
Consider how cultural, social, and political backgrounds could affect interpretations of the question. A keen awareness of these factors helps design clean, impartial questions leading to reliable insights.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Nonresponse. Exercise \(8.10\) discusses the Pew Research Center survey Teens, Social Media \(\&\) Technology conducted in the spring of 2018 . The report mentions that 743 teens completed the survey and that the response rate for teens was \(18 \% .27\) Approximately how many teens must have been recruited for the survey for a response rate of \(18 \% ?\)

Software Survey. A statistical software company is planning on updating Version \(8.1\) of its software and wants to know what features are most important to users. The company's managers have the email addresses of 1100 individuals, mostly faculty at universities, for whom they have supplied free courtesy copies of Version 8.1. They email these 1100 individuals and ask them to complete a survey online. A total of 186 of these individuals complete the survey. a. What is the population of interest to the software company? Do you think the 1100 individuals contacted are representative of the population? Explain your reasons. b. What is the sample? From what group is information actually obtained?

An online store contacts 1000 customers from its list of customers who have purchased in the past year. In all, 696 of the 1000 say that they are very satisfied with the store's website. The population in this setting is a. all customers who have purchased something in the past year. b. the 1000 customers contacted. c. the 696 customers who were very satisfied with the store's website.

How A ccurate Is the Poll? A Pew Research Center survey called Teens, Social Media \& Technology in the spring of 2018 included 743 teens, of which 355 were White, nonHispanic; 129 were Black, non-Hispanic; 202 were Hispanic; and 57 were other races or ethnic groups. Each teen sampled was asked about technology usage, including access to mobile devices, online platform usage, views on social media, and video game playing. The margin of error (we will give more detail in later chapters) was reported as \(\pm 5.0 \%\) for the entire sample. When considering technology usage of only the Hispanic teens, the margin of error was reported as \(\pm 9.5 \% .4\) What do you think explains the fact that estimates for Hispanic teens were less precise than for the entire sample?

Sampling on Campus. You would like to start a club for psychology majors on campus, and you are interested in finding out what proportion of psychology majors would join. The dues would be \(\$ 35\) and used to pay for speakers to come to campus. You ask five psychology majors from your senior psychology honors seminar whether they would be interested in joining this club and find that four of the five students questioned are interested. Is this sampling method biased, and if so, what is the likely direction of bias?

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