Measurement error in the affluent proxy biases elite influence estimates downward, not upward.
Evidence
In any case, the imprecision that results from use of our βafο¬uentβ proxy is likely to produce underestimates of the impact of economic elites on policy making. If we ο¬nd substantial effects upon policy even when using this imperfect measure, therefore, it will be reasonable to infer that the impact upon policy of truly wealthy citizens is still greater. β Martin Gilens and Benjamin I. Page, Testing Theories of American Politics, 58
Categorization
- QUESTION: The reader is hunting for the exact empirical instrument distinguishing actual policy influence from narrative; this passage states the directional-bias logic underpinning their estimate of control deficit.
- XREF: connects to: Measurement limitations bias elite and interest-group influence estimates downward. β Martin Gilens and Benjamin I. Page, Testing Theories of American Politics:β¦, 94; Affluent-proxy preferences understate the true gap between elites and ordinary citizens. β Martin Gilens and Benjamin I. Page, Testing Theories of American Politics:β¦, 105; Correlated omitted variables like income make racial bias estimates unreliable. (+2 more)
Broader Connections
- Measurement limitations bias elite and interest-group influence estimates downward.
#expands(0.94) β Martin Gilens and Benjamin I. Page, Testing Theories of American Politics, 94 - Affluent-proxy preferences understate the true gap between elites and ordinary citizens.
#expands(0.88) β Martin Gilens and Benjamin I. Page, Testing Theories of American Politics, 105 - Survey research is vulnerable to systematic measurement errors that skew results
#expands(0.76) - Correlated omitted variables like income make racial bias estimates unreliable.
#exemplifies(0.74)