How Was It Possible That the Literary Digest Erroneously Predicted

question 37

Essay

How was it possible that the Literary Digest erroneously predicted that Republican Alf Landon would beat incumbent Democrat Franklin Roosevelt in his 1936 bid for reelection,despite having obtained over 2 million responses to its poll?

---

Definitions:

Demographic Variable

Characteristics used to segment populations for marketing, research, and other purposes, including age, gender, income level, education, and ethnic background.

Lifestyle

Lifestyle denotes the interests, opinions, behaviours, and behavioural orientations of an individual, group, or culture.

Geography

The study of the Earth's landscapes, environments, and the relationships between people and their environments, including the spatial aspects of human societies and natural phenomena.

Merchandising Complexity

The various challenges and difficulties involved in managing the assortment, display, and promotion of retail merchandise.