The bandwagon effect. Why do media need survey polls during the inter-election period?

Tomasz Gackowski

Public opinion polls of candidates are one of the main points of reference for media, not only during the election campaign. Opinion-forming media look to public opinion poll results also during the inter-election period. The articles attempts to answer the question as to how and why do Polish prestigious dailies cite the results of opinion polls in the post-election period. From this perspective the phenomenon of “surveycracy” gains meaning, with the bandwagon effect affecting not only voters and not only during the election campaign.

KEYWORDS

surveys, surveycracy, bandwagon effect, bandwagon journalism, bandwagon politics