The Fallibility of Surveys
Also known as: The Bradley Effect, Preference Falsification
People do not always do what they claim to do in surveys. When asked, they answer in the way they would like to perceive themselves, not how they are in reality. Their ultimate actions often differ from what they claim. See “The Bradley Effect.”
Examples
In the 1982 California governor’s race, Tom Bradley – an African-American – was ahead in in the polls up until election day, but then lost the race. It’s theorized that people said they would vote for Bradley when asked by another human being, but subtle – even subconscious – racism caused some of them to vote for the white candidate when alone in inside the voting booth. This became known as “The Bradley Effect.”