Mervin Field
Encyclopedia
Mervin Field is an American pollster of public opinion
in the state of California
.
in 1938. His subsequent formal education was limited to a few months each at Rutgers night school, the University of Missouri
and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
. His first experience with survey research was in his high school junior year, when in a chance occurrence he was introduced to the polling pioneer, Dr. George Gallup
. Field’s first survey was in determining student preferences for his high school senior class president. Prior to World War II
, Field worked for Opinion Research Corporation
(ORC) and the Gallup Poll in Princeton, New Jersey
.
public opinion news service., with a focus on California. As of late 2009, it has published more than 2300 reports.
of operation. It relies on financial support from newspapers and television stations, the University of California
, the California State University
system, and various non-profit foundations, not from political candidates or interests.
Since 1956, the Poll has deposited its survey data with the University of California and California State University campuses, to make them available for scholars, media, and public policy makers. It is a unique and rich archive that is used in political science, journalism. sociology, and survey research methodology courses.
He was the recipient of the 1979 American Association for Public Opinion Research
(AAPOR) Award for “exceptionally distinguished achievement”. The citation accompanying the award said in part that he "has been the chief architect of and a successful campaigner for a contemporary code of standards for public opinion research…..”
In 1996, he was awarded an honorary degree of LL.D by California State University. The citation said in part….”Mervin Field is a highly respected leader within his profession…and in the course of his career he has become a trusted advisor to academia, civic associations, governmental institutions and the business community…”
He has held offices in the American Marketing Association
(AMA) and the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR), and helped establish the National Council of Published Polls (NCPP) and is one of the founding directors of the Council of American Survey Research Organizations (CASRO).
He is a past member of the Advisory Council of the Institute of Governmental Studies; University of California, Berkeley
; and for a period was a Regents’ Professor at Berkeley.
Public opinion
Public opinion is the aggregate of individual attitudes or beliefs held by the adult population. Public opinion can also be defined as the complex collection of opinions of many different people and the sum of all their views....
in the state of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Biography
Field was born in 1921 in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and graduated from Princeton High SchoolPrinceton High School (New Jersey)
Princeton High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school in the Borough of Princeton, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Princeton Regional Schools district, which serves all public school students in the Borough of Princeton and Princeton Township...
in 1938. His subsequent formal education was limited to a few months each at Rutgers night school, the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
United States Merchant Marine Academy
The United States Merchant Marine Academy is one of the five United States Service academies...
. His first experience with survey research was in his high school junior year, when in a chance occurrence he was introduced to the polling pioneer, Dr. George Gallup
George Gallup
George Horace Gallup was an American pioneer of survey sampling techniques and inventor of the Gallup poll, a successful statistical method of survey sampling for measuring public opinion.-Biography:...
. Field’s first survey was in determining student preferences for his high school senior class president. Prior to World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Field worked for Opinion Research Corporation
Opinion Research Corporation
Opinion Research Corporation, based in Princeton, New Jersey, is a demographic, health, and market research company. It was founded in 1938 by Claude Robinson and George Gallup, although Gallup quickly left the firm in 1939....
(ORC) and the Gallup Poll in Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
.
Field Research Corporation
The Field Research Corporation (FRC) is a commercial consumer and opinion research practice operating locally, regionally and nationally.Field Poll
The Field Poll is an independent, nonpartisanNonpartisan
In political science, nonpartisan denotes an election, event, organization or person in which there is no formally declared association with a political party affiliation....
public opinion news service., with a focus on California. As of late 2009, it has published more than 2300 reports.
of operation. It relies on financial support from newspapers and television stations, the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
, the California State University
California State University
The California State University is a public university system in the state of California. It is one of three public higher education systems in the state, the other two being the University of California system and the California Community College system. It is incorporated as The Trustees of the...
system, and various non-profit foundations, not from political candidates or interests.
Since 1956, the Poll has deposited its survey data with the University of California and California State University campuses, to make them available for scholars, media, and public policy makers. It is a unique and rich archive that is used in political science, journalism. sociology, and survey research methodology courses.
Awards
Field has received two awards from the American Marketing Association, one in 1956 for his “Field Index of Advertising Efficiency” and another in 1971 for his “Outstanding Service to the Profession of Marketing Research.” In 2001, The Market Research Council (New York) named him to its Hall of Fame.He was the recipient of the 1979 American Association for Public Opinion Research
American Association for Public Opinion Research
The American Association for Public Opinion Research , founded in 1947, is an organization of approximately 1900 survey research professionals from academia, non-profit organizations, polling firms, and government...
(AAPOR) Award for “exceptionally distinguished achievement”. The citation accompanying the award said in part that he "has been the chief architect of and a successful campaigner for a contemporary code of standards for public opinion research…..”
In 1996, he was awarded an honorary degree of LL.D by California State University. The citation said in part….”Mervin Field is a highly respected leader within his profession…and in the course of his career he has become a trusted advisor to academia, civic associations, governmental institutions and the business community…”
He has held offices in the American Marketing Association
American Marketing Association
The American Marketing Association is a professional association for marketers. As of 2008 it had approximately 40,000 members. There are 76 professional chapters and 250 collegiate chapters across the United States....
(AMA) and the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR), and helped establish the National Council of Published Polls (NCPP) and is one of the founding directors of the Council of American Survey Research Organizations (CASRO).
He is a past member of the Advisory Council of the Institute of Governmental Studies; University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
; and for a period was a Regents’ Professor at Berkeley.
External links
- the Mervin Field at the Science Literacy Project
- The Field Research Corporation