One recent survey showed that two-thirds of Americans believe that federal officials are spending "too little" money on "assistance for the poor." Yet, another survey conducted at the same time found that only one-tenth of Americans believe that federal officials are spending "too little" on "welfare." This example shows that

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This example demonstrates how small differences in the wording of a question can lead to significant differences in the response pattern. The first survey asked about "assistance for the poor," which is a broad term that could encompass various forms of assistance, including Medicaid, food stamps, and other social services. The second survey asked specifically about "welfare," which is a more narrowly defined term referring to cash assistance for low-income families. The difference in wording likely led respondents to think of different types of programs and therefore answer differently. This highlights the importance of being mindful of question wording when interpreting the results of surveys.

One Recent Survey Showed That Two-Thirds of Americans Believe That