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How do opinion surveys help political scientists study voting behavior?

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Map of Canada displaying the results of the 2008 federal election by province and territory, with regions shaded to indicate the leading party's share of the popular vote: blue for Conservative, red for Liberal, light blue for Bloc Quebecois, and orange for New Democratic Party. Each area is labeled with the number of seats won by each party, and a legend at the bottom summarizes national seat totals for each party. — election Canada's 2008 federal election results.

Opinion surveys serve as a foundational tool for political scientists, particularly within the behavioralism approach, by providing systematic, quantifiable data to analyze voting behavior.

Political scientists use these surveys to:

Establish Statistical Relationships: Researchers use survey data to identify correlations between independent variables (such as social class, religion, or region) and dependent variables like electoral choice.1
Develop Theoretical Concepts: Landmark studies, such as The American Voter, utilized survey data to develop the concept of party identification—the long-term psychological attachment a voter has to a party, which often serves as a primary predictor of how they will vote.1
Examine Trends Over Time: Longitudinal survey series, such as the Eurobarometer, allow scholars to track shifts in public opinion and political behavior across different generations and historical contexts.1
Analyze Social Bases: Surveys help quantify how factors like affluence, education, and social environment influence political participation and the stability of democratic systems.1

While surveys are essential for measuring the distribution of opinions, researchers must account for potential biases, such as respondents providing socially desirable answers or the influence of question wording on results.21