psephology
Jan. 6th, 2011 07:21 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
prettygoodwordpsephology (see-FOL-uh-jee) - n., the study of elections.
The scientific study, that is -- covering more the statistical and sociological analysis than the game-theoretic modeling and mechanics. Coined in 1952 by R. B. McCallum from Greek root psēphos, pebble -- because the ancient Athenians used pebbles to (literally) cast their vote by dropping theirs into the appropriate urn, the contents of which were then counted.
---L.
The scientific study, that is -- covering more the statistical and sociological analysis than the game-theoretic modeling and mechanics. Coined in 1952 by R. B. McCallum from Greek root psēphos, pebble -- because the ancient Athenians used pebbles to (literally) cast their vote by dropping theirs into the appropriate urn, the contents of which were then counted.
---L.
