The Analysis of Public Opinion in Times of Big Data. A Challenge for Social Research

Journal title SOCIOLOGIA E RICERCA SOCIALE
Author/s Fabrizio Martire, Maria Concetta Pitrone
Publishing Year 2016 Issue 2016/109
Language Italian Pages 14 P. 102-115 File size 69 KB
DOI 10.3280/SR2016-109009
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According to many scholars, social networks provide an unobtrusive vision of public opinion. This in turn allows to overcome the problem of social desirability, typical of public opinion studies through survey questionnaires. Drawing on the media studies tradition devoted to the analysis of the ways in which people use the Internet, the authors argue that the statements posted on a social network, just like the answers to a questionnaire, can be the result of a subtle strategy of control of the self-image. Rather than being solved, the problem of social desirability thereby presents itself again, in renewed forms.

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Fabrizio Martire, Maria Concetta Pitrone, Lo studio dell’opinione pubblica al tempo dei big data. Una sfida per la ricerca sociale in "SOCIOLOGIA E RICERCA SOCIALE " 109/2016, pp 102-115, DOI: 10.3280/SR2016-109009