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Psephology
*** Shopping-Tip: Psephology
'''Psephology''' is an obsolescent term for the
statistical study of
elections. Psephology uses compilations of precinct voting returns for elections going back some years, public opinion polls, campaign finance information and similar statistical data. The term was coined (from the Greek ''psephos'', 'pebble', which the Greeks used as ballots) in the
United Kingdom in
1952 by historian
R. B. McCallum to describe the scientific analysis of past elections. The term is occasionally used by political scientists and historians in the UK, and rarely in the
United States or
Canada, except for one usage. Political journalists ridicule people who try to scientifically predict future elections by calling it psephology, suggesting it is akin to
astrology. Thus journalist
David S. Broder has explained, "The science of interpreting elections has a fancy name: psephology. A shorter, simpler and more accurate title for much election analysis is: fiction." David S. Broder; Psephology Finds Only Voter Indifference; Austin American Statesman (Texas); Sep 16, 1989.
However, psephology also has various applications deemed as more acceptable, specifically in analysing the results of election returns for current indicators, as opposed to predictive purposes. For instance, the
Gallagher Index measures the disproportionality of an election.
See also
*
List of democracy and elections-related topics
Category:Psephology
{{portalpar|Politics}}
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Category:Elections
Category:Political science
Category:Polling
