Question

Christopher collected data from a random sample of 800 voters in his state asking whether or not they would vote to reelect the current governor. Based on the results, he reports that 54% of the voters in his city would vote to reelect the current governor. Why is this statistic misleading?

Answer 1

The statistic reported by Christopher that 54% of the voters would vote to reelect the current governor may be misleading due to sampling bias, social pressure and response bias, lack of margin of error information, and time sensitivity.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statistic that Christopher reports, stating that 54% of the voters would vote to reelect the current governor, is potentially misleading due to several factors:

1. Sampling Bias: Christopher collected data from a random sample of 800 voters in his state, but he doesn't specify the method used to select the sample. If the sample is not representative of the entire population of voters, then the statistic may not accurately reflect the true percentage of voters who would vote to reelect the governor.
2. Social Pressure and Response Bias: People may feel social pressure to provide answers that align with the norms or expectations of their peers or community. Some individuals may be hesitant to admit their true voting intentions, resulting in inaccurate responses.
3. Margin of Error: Christopher does not mention the margin of error associated with the reported percentage. Without this information, it is difficult to determine the precision and reliability of the statistic.
4. Time Sensitivity: The statistic represents a snapshot of voter sentiment at a specific point in time and may not necessarily be reflective of the voters' opinions at the time of the actual election.

Considering these factors, it is important to interpret this statistic with caution and recognize the potential limitations and biases that may be present.