Understanding Society - Summer 2009 - The Perils of Perception

There is a difficulty in measuring people's perceptions. This newsletter provides a framework for developing a more sophisticated understanding of what drives public attitudes.

Welcome to the latest edition of the Ipsos Social Research Institute’s regular newsletter. It may seem strange for a public opinion organisation to be pointing out the difficulties involved in measuring perceptions (and we certainly wouldn’t argue against focusing on the needs of the citizen), but over the last few years we have shown that a simplistic use of perception targets is not enough, and involves significant risks. Instead, we need to develop a more sophisticated understanding of what drives public attitudes, so that we can deliver the improvements in services that citizens and government both want to see.

Our focus, in this newsletter and our work more generally, is to make sure that those making decisions have the best and most actionable information. We therefore hope you find this newsletter interesting, and as ever we always want to hear about your views of our work and the issues raised.

Download

More insights about Public Sector

  • Recycling centre sign
    Evaluations Ipsos Voices

    Tracking Progress: What England's waste data tells us about the road ahead

    Since 2022, Ipsos UK, working with Technopolis and Ricardo and commissioned by Defra, has been looking at the progress made by Defra’s Resource and Waste Policy Programme. Now in its fourth year, the evaluation of the Resource and Waste Policy Programme reveals a nuanced picture: progress is being made, but significant challenges remain for long-term impact to materialise.
  • Food & Diet Publication

    FSA consumer survey, conducted by Ipsos, reveals appetite for healthy and sustainable diets

    Since 2020, Ipsos has been running the FSA’s flagship consumer survey, Food and You 2. Research from the survey, published by the Food Standards Agency reveals the highest level of public confidence in food safety recorded since the start of the project.
  • Group of women
    Gender Ipsos Voices

    International Women's Day 2026: Spotlight Projects in Public Affairs

    As has now become a tradition for our team; to mark International Women’s Day 2026 we have taken the opportunity to reflect on the wide range of policy areas and projects delivered across Public Affairs over the past year. In this third edition, we shine a spotlight on how this work aligns with and advances this year’s theme, “Give to Gain.”

Related news