Role of Polls in Policymaking Survey


Standard Variable List

Name Label
Age Age
CASEID Case ID
CasWgt Weight
Form Form
R01A Attention to what family/friends think
R01B Attention to elected officials think
R01C Attention to what polls say Americans think
R01D Attention to what journalists think
R03 Discussed poll results in the last week
R04 Confidence in public judgment on various issues
R06A Can public make sound judgments about general direction on economic issues
R06B Can public make sound judgments about general direction on health care issues
R06C Can public make sound judgments about general direction on education issues
R06D Can public make sound judgments about general direction on foreign policy issues
R07A Can public make sound judgments about details on economic issues
R07B Can public make sound judgments about details on health care issues
R07C Can public make sound judgments about details on education issues
R07D Can public make sound judgments about details on foreign policy issues
R09 How well think elected officials understand what the public thinks
R10 How well feel officials in Washington represent public majority
R11A How often unpopular decisions because: don't understand what public wants
R11B How often unpopular decisions because: don't believe public is informed
R11C How often unpopular decisions because: choose to follow special interests
R11D How often unpopular decisions because: believe what they are doing in is best public interest
R12 How much influence majority view has on officials in Washington
R13 How much influence majority view should have on officials
R14 Elected officials should use own judgment or follow majority opinion
R15 Should officials do what majority wants or use own judgment
R16 Agree or disagree: elected officials are professionals
R18 To what extent are opinion polls useful to understand how public feels about important issues
R19_1 What other ways would be helpful to find out how public feels [First Response]
R19_2 What other ways would be helpful to find out how public feels [Second Response]
R19_3 What other ways would be helpful to find out how public feels [Third Response]
R20A Reasons why polls are somewhat/not useful to officials: Polls don't accurately reflect what public thinks
R20B Reasons why polls are somewhat/not useful to officials: Polls don't ask about the right issues
R20C Reasons why polls are somewhat/not useful to officials: Results can be twisted
R21A Amount of attention officials pay to the following when making decisions: their own knowledge
R21B Amount of attention officials pay to the following when making decisions: their conscience/judgment
R21C Amount of attention officials pay to the following when making decisions: policy experts
R21D Amount of attention officials pay to the following when making decisions: members of public
R21E Amount of attention officials pay to the following when making decisions: campaign contributors
R21F Amount of attention officials pay to the following when making decisions: public opinion polls
R21G Amount of attention officials pay to the following when making decisions: lobbyists/special interests
R21I Amount of attention officials pay to the following when making decisions: journalists
R23A Amount of attention officials should pay to the following when making decisions: their own knowledge
R23B Amount of attention officials should pay to the following when making decisions: their conscience/judgment
R23C Amount of attention officials should pay to the following when making decisions: policy experts
R23D Amount of attention officials should pay to the following when making decisions: members of public
R23E Amount of attention officials should pay to the following when making decisions: campaign contributors
R23F Amount of attention officials should pay to the following when making decisions: public opinion polls
R23G Amount of attention officials should pay to the following when making decisions: lobbyists/special interests
R23I Amount of attention officials should pay to the following when making decisions: journalists
R27A Agree/disagree: officials consult polls because they believe public should have a say
R27B Agree/disagree: officials consult polls because they want to stay popular and get re-elected
R27C Agree/disagree: public opinion polling is based on sound scientific practices
R27D Agree/disagree: people answer poll questions honestly
R27E Agree/disagree: poll questions don't give people opportunity to say what they really think
R29A Amount of attention officials should pay to polls when making decisions about: economic issues
R29B Amount of attention officials should pay to polls when making decisions about: health care issues
R29C Amount of attention officials should pay to polls when making decisions about: education issues
R29D Amount of attention officials should pay to polls when making decisions about: foreign policy issues
R29E Amount of attention officials should pay to polls when making decisions about: social issues
R31 How often do public opinion polls accurately reflect what public thinks
R33A How often do the following accurately reflect what the public thinks: random telephone surveys
R33B How often do the following accurately reflect what the public thinks: telephone surveys
R33C How often do the following accurately reflect what the public thinks: mailed questionnaires
R33D How often do the following accurately reflect what the public thinks: magazine surveys
R33E How often do the following accurately reflect what the public thinks: Internet surveys
R34 Confidence in the concept of interviewing 1000 people to represent the entire country
R36 How often do officials check who sponsored a poll and whether it was done properly
R37 How often does news media check who sponsored a poll and whether it was done properly
R39 How confident your judgment whether a poll was done in a fair and scientific manner
R40 How much attention do you pay to who conducted or sponsored a poll
R43A Overall impression of polling organizations
R43B Overall impression of polls by media organizations
R43C Overall impression of polls by academic research centers
R43D Overall impression of polls commissioned by nonprofit organizations
R43E Overall impression of polls commissioned by political parties
R44A Importance of differences in polls: sample of 1000 vs. 1500
R44D Importance of differences in polls: random telephone vs. 800-number advertised on TV
R44E Importance of differences in polls: single night vs. three night interviewing
R44F Importance of differences in polls: 20% response rate vs. 50% response rate
R46A Agree or disagree: answering questions in polls is a waste of time
R46B Agree or disagree: polls on social and political issues serve a useful purpose
R46C Agree or disagree: polls are far from perfect but are the best means for communicating what the public thinks
R46D Agree or disagree: most professional polltakers try to be careful to ask questions that don't favor any side
R47A Rate ways for officials to learn what the majority of people think: holding town meetings
R47B Rate ways for officials to learn what the majority of people think: conducting a public opinion poll
R47C Rate ways for officials to learn what the majority of people think: talking with people at mall/street
R47D Rate ways for officials to learn what the majority of people think: talking with people who call/write/email
R48 Best way for officials to learn what the majority of people think
R49_1 Why don't think polls are best way for officials to learn what majority think [First Response]
R49_2 Why don't think polls are best way for officials to learn what majority think [Second Response]
R49_3 Why don't think polls are best way for officials to learn what majority think [Third Response]
RD1 Sex
RD2 Age
RD3 RD3 In politics today, do you consider yourself a Republican, a D
RD4 Would you describe your political beliefs as conservative, mo
RD5 Hispanic Origin
RD6 Race
RD7 Education
RD8 Income
Region Region