Forming Public Opinion

Chapter 8 – Section 1

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What do you think were the most important issues to voters in 2012?

What is Public Opinion?

Global warming, abortion, gun rights, flag burning

How often do you hear phrases like this:

“The people want more regulation of banks” or “The people want stricter environmental standards for industries”?

The complex collection of opinions of many different people on matters of government & politics...

...is not the single and undivided view of all people

Support for

Gay Marriage

Public Opinion

Different Publics

There are many publics – too many to count

Some people have feelings for only certain issues (NRA) some have them for all issues...public affairs

Must be publicly expressed

What influences your attitudes towards government and politics?

Family & Education

political socialization – the process by which each person acquires political opinions. What are some factors?

race, income, occupation, residence, group affiliations

Family

Learn about politics through talking with family

Attitudes towards other races & religious groups

What TV shows they watch (news & entertainment)

(Father Ryan election, Father Ryan-reparations, Fox News inception)

Write down 5 of your favorite TV shows!

The following 5 slides are from scientific data that show how people tend to vote and how that is reflected in the TV shows/channels they watch.

Were any of your shows on there? Explain why some of the categorized shows make sense and others do not…

TOP LIBERAL DEMOCRAT SHOWS

TOP CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN SHOWS

1. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central)

2. The Colbert Report (Comedy Central)

3. Masterpiece (PBS)

4. 30 Rock (NBC)

5. Parks and Recreation (NBC)

6. The View (ABC)

7. Glee (Fox)

8. Modern Family (ABC)

9. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX)

10. Treme (HBO)

11. Cougar Town (ABC)

12. The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS)

1. Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction(Speed)

2. This Old House (PBS)

3. The 700 Club (syndicated)

4. Swamp Loggers (Discovery)

5. Top Shot (History)

6. The Bachelor (ABC)

7. Castle (ABC)

8. New Yankee Workshop (PBS)

9. Mythbusters (Discovery)

10. Only in America w/ Larry the Cable Guy (History)

11. American Pickers (History)

12. Swamp People (History)

13. Wheel of Fortune (syndicated) 14. Top Gear (BBC America) 15. The Middle (ABC) 16. Pawn Stars (History) 17. The Tonight Show (NBC) 18. Antiques Roadshow (PBS) 19. The Biggest Loser (NBC) 20. Hawaii Five-O (CBS) 21. Dancing With the Stars, results show (ABC) 22. Man vs. Wild (Discovery) 23. Auction Kings (Discovery) 24. NCIS (CBS) 25. The Mentalist (CBS)

13. The Soup (E!) 14. The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS) 15. Aqua Teen Hunger Force (Adult Swim) 16. Outsourced (NBC) 17. Raising Hope (Fox) 18. Saturday Night Live (NBC) 19. The Office (NBC) 20. American Masters (PBS) 21. Project Runway (Lifetime) 22. United States of Tara (Showtime) 23. Shameless (Showtime) 24. Parenthood (NBC) 25. Conan (TBS)

Schools

Do you think schools should be allowed to have a political agenda?

Indoctrination by teachers to make them good citizens

Pledge of Allegiance, patriotic songs, government & U.S. History classes

Learning about different groups of people

What is the difference between socialization & indoctrination?

Other Factors

Mass Media

Which amendment protects the Mass Media?

Means of communication that reach a large audience

Newspapers, magazines, radio, internet, TV

In the U.S., most TVs are turned on for more than 8hrs a day.

In what ways are we dependent on media outlets?

What is a dying media outlet? Why is it in trouble?

Peer Groups

Made up of people with whom you regularly associate

Reinforces what someone has already come to believe (examples)

people do not like to be outcasts

Opinion Leaders

Any person who has an unusually strong influence on others

Use your phones and look up and list: 5 of the top liberal and 5 of the top conservative opinion leaders in today’s media.

Historic Events

The Great Depression...

Larger government (republican democrat)

After WWII – optimistic about the government (democrat domination)

60s – Vietnam, Civil Rights, political assassinations, Watergate

Less trust in the government

What significant event has changed our view towards foreign policy?