Which of the following statements regarding public opinion and polls is true?

• A. Public opinion is static and does not change over time, so polls always reflect permanent attitudes.
• B. Public opinion polls always accurately predict individual behavior in all situations.
• C. Polls are never influenced by the wording of questions or the order in which they are asked.
• D. Polls can provide valuable insights into public opinion when conducted with representative samples and unbiased questions.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of public opinion as the collective attitudes and beliefs held by a group of people, which can change over time rather than being static.
2. Recognize that public opinion polls are tools used to measure these attitudes at a given time, but their accuracy depends on how the poll is designed and conducted.
3. Identify that polls must use representative samples, meaning the participants should reflect the larger population's diversity to generalize the results accurately.
4. Acknowledge that the wording of questions and their order can influence respondents' answers, so unbiased and carefully constructed questions are essential for reliable data.
5. Conclude that when polls are conducted with representative samples and unbiased questions, they can provide valuable insights into public opinion, but they are not infallible predictors of individual behavior or permanent attitudes.