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Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning
PUBLIC OPINION
AND POLITICAL
SOCIALIZATION
Chapter Six
Copyright © 2014 Cengage LearningCopyright © 2014 Cengage Learning
Learning Outcomes
1. Define public opinion and identify at least
two ways public opinion impacts
government actions.
2. Evaluate how the political socialization
process shapes political attitudes, opinions,
and behavior; explain how demographic
characteristics impact political behavior.
2
Copyright © 2014 Cengage LearningCopyright © 2014 Cengage Learning
Learning Outcomes
3. Describe three forms of social media and
explain how social media can shape
political decisions or events.
4. Identify three factors that might distort
public opinion results collected through
opinion polling.
5. Assess the impact that world opinion of the
United States has on the government’s
domestic and foreign policy decisions.
3
Copyright © 2014 Cengage LearningCopyright © 2014 Cengage Learning
Defining Public Opinion
Public opinion: aggregate of individual
attitudes or beliefs shared by some portion
of the adult population
Types:
Consensus
Divisive opinion
Nonopinion
4
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Consensus Opinion5
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Divisive Opinion6
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Nonopinion7
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Defining Public Opinion8
Public opinion and policymaking
Sometimes difficult to assess public opinion
Policymakers generally responsive, especially
when opinion changes dramatically
Can serve to set limits on government
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How Public Opinion Is Formed:
Political Socialization
Models of political
socialization
Family
Education
Peers and peer group
Opinion leaders
Political change
9
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How Public Opinion Is Formed:
Political Socialization
Impact of the media
Agenda-setting effect
Political forum for leaders and public
Managed news
Influence of political events
Life cycle effect
Generational effect (cohort effect)
10
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Political Preferences and Voting Behavior
Demographic Influences
Education
Economic status
Religious influence: Denomination
Religiosity
Race and ethnicity
Gender
Geographic region
11
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Votes by Groups in Presidential Elections,
1992-2012 (in Percentages)12
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Political Preferences and Voting Behavior13
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Gender Gap in Presidential Elections,
1980-201214
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The Purple Election Map15
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Measuring Public Opinion
The history of opinion polls
Straw polls or mail surveys (1800s)
Subscriber questionnaires (early 20th century)
Gallup and Roper polls (mid-20th century)
Improved sampling and scientific methods
(1950s and beyond)
16
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Measuring Public Opinion
Sampling Techniques
Representative sampling
Most important principle is randomness
Every person should have known chance, and
especially an equal chance, of being sampled
Small sample should be representative if scientific
procedures followed
Quota sampling (less accurate)
17
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Measuring Public Opinion
Problems with polls
Sampling errors
Poll questions
Push polls
18
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Technology, Public Opinion and the
Political Process
Public opinion and the political process
Politicians see as important to success
Elected officials see as source of power
But not equivalent to elections
19
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Technology, Public Opinion and the
Political Process
Political culture and public opinion
Common American political culture shared by
diverse populace
Most important values:
Liberty, equality and property
Support for religious freedom
Community service and personal achievement
Political trust and support for political system
varies
20
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Reaction to How the Nation
Is Being Governed21
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Technology, Public Opinion and the
Political Process
Public opinion about government
Ambivalence about many institutions
Declining confidence
Public emphasizes immediate problems
(economy) more than long-term ones (crime)
Views about political process affect country’s
ability to deal with challenges and resolve
conflicts
22
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Perceived Most Important Problem
Facing the U.S.23
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Polling Issues?24