Abstract: A computer-implemented method determines current beliefs and/or behaviors of a population, and forecasts the behaviors and/or beliefs which this population is likely to have in the future. The method involves selecting a subset of members from a target population, obtaining survey responses from the members in the subset, generating point estimates of at least one population parameter, generating confidence bounds for the point estimates, and conducting a trend analysis on the survey responses and the point estimates of the at least one population parameter. Future behavior, beliefs, or other attributes of the population is then determined based on the trend analysis.

Abstract: A computer method improves the robustness of population parameters estimated using sample responses. Two different factors that may impact the accuracy of estimates are considered. The first factor is referred to as statistical outliers. By statistical outliers, what is meant is observations that fall “statistically outside” of the other remaining observations in the sample. The second factor considered is the impact of the weight assigned to each observation on the overall parameter estimate. More specifically, the fact that weights assigned to each respondent are typically estimated and thus not exact is addressed. Consequently, the weights do not unduly influence the value of the parameter estimates.

Abstract: A computer method improves the robustness of population parameters estimated using sample responses. Two different factors that may impact the accuracy of estimates are considered. The first factor is referred to as statistical outliers. By statistical outliers, what is meant is observations that fall “statistically outside” of the other remaining observations in the sample. The second factor considered is the impact of the weight assigned to each observation on the overall parameter estimate. More specifically, the fact that weights assigned to each respondent are typically estimated and thus not exact is addressed. Consequently, the weights do not unduly influence the value of the parameter estimates.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method determines current beliefs and/or behaviors of a population, and forecasts the behaviors and/or beliefs which this population is likely to have in the future. The method involves selecting a subset of members from a target population, obtaining survey responses from the members in the subset, generating point estimates of at least one population parameter, generating confidence bounds for the point estimates, and conducting a trend analysis on the survey responses and the point estimates of the at least one population parameter. Future behavior, beliefs, or other attributes of the population is then determined based on the trend analysis.