Poll Question Research Articles

Inflation, Unemployment, and Public Opinion Polls

IT IS WELL KNOWN that public opinion polls report that the public regards inflation as a more serious problem than unemployment. In this paper we examine public opinion surveys with the aim of discovering what, if anything, the poll results mean. We describe in some detail the questions about inflation and unemployment asked in the surveys and analyze the determinants, in both cross section and time series, of answers to those questions. The typical opinion poll question about inflation and unemployment is Which of the two problems inflation or unemployment do you think will cause the more serious economic hardship for people during the next year or so?''1 Section 1 discusses the possible issues to which opinion poll questions about inflation and unemployment might be relevant. Section 2 tabulates a variety of questions that have been asked, along with the responses, and examines the views expressed and their consistency, both internal and across different polls. Section 3 presents a regression analysis of the cross-sectional determinants of responses to the Michigan poll question cited above, while section 4 studies determinants of changes over time

From the Secretariat

From the Secretariat A record number of ballots flooded the RMMLA office. Our sincere congratulations are extended to Mary Elizabeth Green (English, Arizona State University) and Jerry L. Benbow (Spanish, Utah State University), elected Vice-President and Delegate-at-large respectively. We look forward to working with them over the next three years. The opinion poll question—should we continue scheduling an autumn annual meeting or change to another time of year—was very revealing. Support for maintaining the status quo was overwhelming. The vast majority of those answering the ballots emphatically endorsed an October date. Second choice was a date in the late spring, and a time during the winter was a weak third. Plans for the 1976 Convention in Santa Fe are well under way. The co-chairpersons of the local arrangements committee (Margretta LeRoy and Rex Kleitz, College of Santa Fe, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501) are promising a repeat of the successes of the recent meeting in Denver. New sections and other special features are now being organized. The Career Information Service (old Faculty Exchange) will be functioning once again. We hope you will make note of the Convention dates (October 21-23, 1976) on your calendar and consider joining us in colorful Santa Fe. We remind you also that membership in RMMLA is based on the calendar year, beginning in January. Please send us your renewal if you have not done so already. Affiliation with the organization entides you to a subscription of the Review and the right to attend and participate in annual conventions. J.H. ...