Are traditional public opinion polls becoming obsolete?
Given the gap between pollsters’ predictions and Canada’s
recent election results, researchers at the University of
British Columbia think the time is right for better tools
to tap into public opinion on current issues.
Researchers at UBC’s Faculty of Graduate Studies are
using a Web-based polling tool they developed – the
first of its kind in the world – to better understand
what information people need to make informed choices and
what factors influence opinions.
“We need new tools to survey opinions on new problems
such as stem cell research,” says team member Hadi Dowlatabadi,
Canada Research Chair in Integrated-assessment Modelling and
Global Change. “The design of the poll needs to take
into account the complexity of the issue.”
The first survey in the six-month project focuses on an inherited
disease and ways to limit its occurrence. The poll contains
12 questions with ethical, moral, financial and legal components.
Organized like an interactive computer game, it offers links
to fictional helpers such as Prof. Considerate and Dr. Getwell
to help respondents gather information they may need to make
an informed response.
The survey takes about 15-30 minutes to complete. Researchers
will track information such as length of time to answer questions,
what resources were used and whether respondents were influenced
by others’ answers.
“This study will give us significant, detailed information
about how people make choices,” says Zosia Bornik, a
graduate student on the team. “It should take polling
to a whole new level.”
Subsequent phases of the project will query respondents about
aquaculture and forest genomics.
The researchers need about 1,000 adults to participate in
the first phase of the study. To access the poll, visit
www.yourviews.ubc.ca.
-30-
