Some people determine how to vote in elections based on what polls report, because they do not like to feel different than others. This is not wise as poll results are often inaccurate due to pluralistic ignorance. Authors Floyd Allport and Daniel Katz introduced the theoretical construct of pluralistic ignorance in 1931 to explain the situation in which people disagree with something, but falsely believe that others do believe it.

A good example of pluralistic ignorance is Prohibition. People said they believed in Prohibition because they thought everyone else did. However, many privately believed that Prohibition was wrong, but they conformed because they feared feeling different or uncomfortable. In the privacy of the election booths, they voted how they truly felt. This resulted in the 21st Amendment, which repealed the 18th Amendment that banned the production, sale and transportation of alcohol at the end of 1933. Consequently, people who feel uncomfortable being different may base their votes on what the polls are reporting although they believe differently.

Americans must be urged to vote based on their own beliefs, because poll results may be inaccurate.

C. Kevin Synnott

Hampton