Final answer:
The statement is false; while probability sampling attempts to reduce sampling error, the efficacy of phone-based sampling has declined due to the switch from landlines to cell phones, making accurate representation more challenging.
Step-by-step explanation:
Calling randomly selected phone numbers is not necessarily a good way for pollsters to reduce sampling errors, thus the statement is false. The effectiveness of random digit dialing (RDD) to produce accurate polls has declined due to the shift from landlines to cell phones, which are not always listed and are portable, potentially causing regional biases. Furthermore, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act prohibits automated calls to cell phones, excluding a significant portion of the population from robo-polls. Probability sampling, where each individual in the population has an equal chance of being selected, helps in reducing sampling error, but the challenges in reaching a representative sample through phone calls have grown as demographics and technology usage have changed over time. Additionally, the use of random samples is crucial for representing public opinion accurately. However, with the reducing number of landlines and people being less available to take calls, ensuring that samples are representative of the population has become more difficult. Selection bias may occur if the sample drawn does not accurately represent the demographic distribution of the overall population, as is the risk with mobile phone users. The prevalence of public opinion surveys conducted via the Internet is increasing, suggesting a shift in methodology. Internet-based surveys are becoming more accurate as they can evade issues related to phone surveys, such as the non-availability of respondents and exclusion of certain demographics that predominantly use cell phones.