Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
bradley-effect
noun
/ˈbrædli ɪˌfɛkt/
Definition
The phenomenon where voters give misleading answers in opinion polls due to the race of the candidates being considered, particularly in racial contexts.
Examples
- During the 1982 California gubernatorial election, the Bradley Effect helped to explain why polling data did not reflect the final vote tallies.
- Analysts considered the potential for the Bradley Effect in the 2008 presidential election involving Barack Obama.
- Researchers continue to study the implications of the Bradley Effect on electoral outcomes.
Meaning
The Bradley Effect refers to the tendency of people to hide their true feelings about a candidate’s race when responding to pollsters, often resulting in polls that overestimate support for minority candidates.
Synonyms
- Polling distortion
- Survey bias
- Racial bias in polling
