Less than a month before the election a new poll is published showing Candidate A with a lead over Candidate B This poll is an outlier from other recent polling results that show Candidate B leading Candidate A Media coverage of the poll is extensive but varies based on the political views of the media source and its audience Some media outlets treat the poll as an anomaly while others suggest that it marks a shift in the campaign in favo of Candidate A Which is the most likely effect of the media s coverage of this poll 4 points Voters will believe that Candidate A is now ahead of Candidate B Voters will conclude that Candidate B is still ahead of Candidate A Voters will interpret the results in favor of their preferred candidate Voters will pay less attention to information about the candidates