A Moving Target: Understanding Stages of Public Opinion

When it comes to public opinion, when you ask a survey question is as important as what you ask. People's views about an issue can develop and change over time: from disconnected, poorly informed responses to more thoughtful and considered conclusions, and from quick, changeable reactions to settled public judgment. This process evolves through seven distinct stages, according to Daniel Yankelovich, author, public opinion analyst and co-founder of Public Agenda. And unless one understands where people are in this process, survey results can frequently mislead.