A reputable research group did a study for a popular magazine illustrating the effects of wording in a survey. Two questions were asked:
∙ Do you personally believe that euthanasia is wrong?
∙ Whatever your own personal view of euthanasia, do you favor or oppose a doctor's choice of performing euthanasia with the consent of the patient's family in a case where there is no hope for life beyond a vegetative state?
To the first question, 61% of the respondents replied "yes," while 32% responded "no." In response to the second question, 70% favored the choice, while 28% opposed the choice. Tell why the two questions produced seemingly contradictory results. How could the results of the questions be used selectively by various groups?
◦ The word "wrong" in the first question could be misleading (loaded). Some people might believe that euthanasia is wrong but still favor choice under certain circumstances. The second question could also be confusing, as "no hope for life beyond a vegetative state" is subject to debate. Groups opposed to euthanasia would be likely to cite the first question, while groups favoring choice would be more likely to cite the results of the second question.
◦ The word "personally" in the first question could be misleading (loaded). Some people might personally believe that euthanasia is wrong but be insensitive to other's opinions. The second question could also be confusing, as "consent of the patient's family" is subject to debate. Groups favoring choice would be likely to cite the first question, while groups opposed to euthanasia would be more likely to cite the results of the second question.
Research Methods
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