push poll
Fake opinion research
A push poll is a political campaign tactic disguised as a survey, designed not to gather opinions but to spread negative information about an opponent.
The "questions" are leading or loaded: Would you still support Candidate X if you knew he had been accused of fraud?
The goal is persuasion through the appearance of neutral inquiry.
Despite the name, push polls aren't polls at all—they're a form of negative campaigning that exploits people's willingness to answer surveys.
Causing false beliefs
- disinformationIntentional deceptive falsehoods
- misinformationFalse data spread unintentionally
- distortionTwisting from original state
- misrepresentationFalse or misleading statement
spin · deceptive · disingenuous · subterfuge · underhanded · trickery · false pretense · bad faith
Inquiries suggesting expected answers
- suggestiveHinting at impropriety
- persuasionConvincing through reasoning
- framingStructural or contextual shaping
- steeringControlling direction of movement
nudging · insinuation · innuendo · coaxing · psychological manipulation · priming · anchoring · social engineering
Political art for causes
- brainwashingCoercive psychological manipulation
- indoctrinationSystematic uncritical belief instillation
- fake newsIntentionally deceptive media content
- psyopsStrategic manipulation of adversaries' thinking
smear campaign · demagoguery · fearmongering · wedge issue · dog whistle · talking points · narrative control · media manipulation
Angled from vertical
- one-sidedUnfairly weighted toward one
- partisanBiased toward one side
- skewedAsymmetrically shifted
- tendentiousShowing bias toward position
prejudiced · loaded · rigged · predetermined · agenda setting · cherry-picking · echo chamber · confirmation bias
Formal inquiry form
- respondentsThose who answer queries
- sampleSubset for study
- methodologyFormal procedural framework
- phone bankingFinancial services by telephone
misleading
Causing false beliefs
- disinformationIntentional deceptive falsehoods
- misinformationFalse data spread unintentionally
- distortionTwisting from original state
misrepresentation · spin · deceptive · disingenuous · subterfuge · underhanded · trickery · false pretense · bad faith · astroturfing
leading questions
Inquiries suggesting expected answers
- suggestiveHinting at impropriety
- persuasionConvincing through reasoning
- framingStructural or contextual shaping
steering · nudging · insinuation · innuendo · coaxing · psychological manipulation · priming · anchoring · social engineering · calculated
agitprop
Political art for causes
- brainwashingCoercive psychological manipulation
- indoctrinationSystematic uncritical belief instillation
- fake newsIntentionally deceptive media content
psyops · smear campaign · demagoguery · fearmongering · wedge issue · dog whistle · talking points · narrative control · media manipulation · political advertising
slanted
Angled from vertical
tendentious · prejudiced · loaded · rigged · predetermined · agenda setting · cherry-picking · echo chamber · confirmation bias · motivated reasoning
questionnaire
Formal inquiry form
- respondentsThose who answer queries
- sampleSubset for study
- methodologyFormal procedural framework
phone banking · call list · canvassing · outreach · telemarketing
- campaigningcandidate, campaign signs, canvassing, campaign manager, fundraising
- phone surveyscall centers, call center, respondent, interviewers, interviewer
- political tacticscampaigning, gerrymandering, filibuster, campaigns, voter suppression
- pollingsample, sample size, random sample, margin of error, confidence interval
- propagandapropaganda, brainwashing, disinformation, misinformation, indoctrination
- campaign mediacampaign ad, political ad, negative ad, TV spot, radio ad
push polltracking poll
Recurring survey measuring shifts
exit poll · Gallup poll · controlled study · double-blind study · peer-reviewed study
push polltown hall meeting
Gathering for civic dialogue
stump speech · policy debate · campaign ad · grassroots organizing
push, poll, pushed, pushes, pushing, pusher, pushers, polled, polls