pn941. Here's Another Poll that Means Absolutely Nothing (Updated).

 

Well that's not quite true. It does show the bias of the pollsters in their selection of headline and comment, both negative to Labour, when they could have chosen positive result. The report opened with:

"A new poll shows more people are "disappointed" and "angry" with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern than in 2020, though the Labour leader makes more people feel “comfortable” and less "nervous" than National Party leader Christopher Luxon.

"A Horizon Research survey of feelings about the two party leaders, provided exclusively to Stuff, showed that of more than 1000 people polled 35% felt “disappointed” and 28% “angry” about Ardern.

"The poll indicated public sentiment about Ardern had shifted since September 2020, when in the lead up to an election 14% felt “disappointed” and 11% “angry”. While Ardern also made fewer people feel “hopeful” in the latest poll, dropping from 46% to 20%, she made more people feel “proud”, “comfortable” and “pleased” than her opponent."

Click here to see the graphics and read the full article but before doing so, consider these other comments:

It is also not clear what the answers actually reveal. In one or two instances they compare how those polled  now feel about Ardern compared with those polled a year ago, but the graphs are used to compare Ardern with Luxton. The question should therefore have been "Do you feel more angry (etc.) with Ardern than with Luxton?".  An example of the actual questions asked would also have helped.

Why do pollsters ask such questions? To make moeny, of course, it's their job, but they also become part of the news and help to sway public opinion the way they choose. Not all are as bad as the other, and some polls are useful,  but this one is a shocker. 

It is true that people are influenced by their emotions when they vote, but they are also influenced by the policies and actions of the parties and how they affect them and others they care about such as relatives and the poor.  Teasing out emotions for special consideration seems rather vulgar. There are more worthwhile questions to ask.

-- ACW