Final answer:
Informal surveys are not inherently unreliable but may lack the rigor of scientifically designed surveys. While not always statistically measurable, they can still provide insight into specific populations or groups. Formal surveys with controlled conditions and statistical methods can offer more reliable and representative data.
Step-by-step explanation:
It is false to assert that informal surveys are always an extremely unreliable source of information. While it is true that surveys using self-selected samples can be unreliable because they include responses from individuals who choose to participate, such as internet surveys, the reliability of such polls depends on various factors. These factors include the purpose of the survey, the nature of the questions asked, the methodology used, and how representative the sample is of the entire population. Informal surveys, or straw polls, collect opinions but are not meant to be rigorous scientific polls. Furthermore, problems like inaccurate responses due to lying, misremembering, or respondents trying to make themselves look good, can skew results. Nonetheless, some informal surveys may provide a general idea of a certain group's opinions.
Formal surveys, like the U.S. Census or the Nielsen Ratings, are conducted under controlled conditions and can result in statistically significant data. These surveys are designed with scientific rigor and aim to be representative of the population, hence allowing for sociological research and market strategies to be identified. They have larger sample sizes and are calculated to minimize errors and bias. While surveys are limited in capturing actual social behavior, they are useful in grasping attitudes, feelings, and self-reported behaviors or factual information such as employment status, income, and education levels.