Public Opinion and Public Opinion and Political Socialization: Political Socialization:

Shaping the People’s VoiceShaping the People’s Voice

Chapter 6Chapter 6

Political Socialization:Political Socialization:The Origins of Americans’ OpinionsThe Origins of Americans’ Opinions

Public opinion: opinions of citizens that are Public opinion: opinions of citizens that are openly statedopenly stated

Political culture: Political culture: the characteristic and deep-the characteristic and deep-seated beliefs of a particular people about seated beliefs of a particular people about government and politicsgovernment and politics

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Political Socialization:Political Socialization:The Origins of Americans’ OpinionsThe Origins of Americans’ Opinions

Political socialization processPolitical socialization processChildhood learning is paramountChildhood learning is paramountProcess is cumulative: political affiliations usually Process is cumulative: political affiliations usually

grow firmer with agegrow firmer with age

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Political Socialization:Political Socialization:The Origins of Americans’ OpinionsThe Origins of Americans’ Opinions

Primary political socialization agentsPrimary political socialization agentsFamilyFamily

Family is the strongest of all agents of socializationFamily is the strongest of all agents of socialization

SchoolsSchoolsChurchChurch

Scholars have not studied the effects of religion as well Scholars have not studied the effects of religion as well as schools or family, but it is a powerful influenceas schools or family, but it is a powerful influence

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Political Socialization:Political Socialization:The Origins of Americans’ OpinionsThe Origins of Americans’ Opinions

Secondary political socialization agentsSecondary political socialization agentsPeersPeersMediaMediaLeadersLeaders

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Frames of Reference: How Frames of Reference: How Americans Think PoliticallyAmericans Think Politically

Frames of reference: reference points by which Frames of reference: reference points by which individuals evaluate issues and developmentsindividuals evaluate issues and developments

Party identificationParty identificationParty identification: emotional loyalty to a political Party identification: emotional loyalty to a political

party; not formal membershipparty; not formal membershipMajor shifts in loyalty rare and in younger adultsMajor shifts in loyalty rare and in younger adultsCan lead to selective perceptionCan lead to selective perception

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Partisanship and Issue OpinionsPartisanship and Issue Opinions

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Frames of Reference: How Frames of Reference: How Americans Think PoliticallyAmericans Think Politically

Political IdeologyPolitical IdeologyA coherent set of political beliefsA coherent set of political beliefsFew Americans have true political ideologyFew Americans have true political ideologyIdeological leanings: Ideological leanings:

Economic liberals/conservativesEconomic liberals/conservativesSocial liberals/conservativesSocial liberals/conservativesPopulists and libertariansPopulists and libertarians

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Frames of Reference: How Frames of Reference: How Americans Think PoliticallyAmericans Think Politically

Group orientationsGroup orientationsReligionReligionEconomic classEconomic classRegionRegionRace and ethnicityRace and ethnicityGenderGenderGenerations and ageGenerations and ageCrosscutting cleavagesCrosscutting cleavages

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Gender and Military ConflictsGender and Military Conflicts

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The measurement of public opinionThe measurement of public opinionTraditional method: election resultsTraditional method: election resultsPublic opinion polls: primary methodPublic opinion polls: primary method

Measure public opinion using randomly chosen Measure public opinion using randomly chosen population sample(s) and carefully constructed population sample(s) and carefully constructed interviewsinterviews

Samples—estimation of population’s viewsSamples—estimation of population’s viewsAccuracy of a poll—expressed by sampling errorAccuracy of a poll—expressed by sampling error

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The Measurement of Public OpinionThe Measurement of Public Opinion

Problems with pollsProblems with pollsIncreasing refusal to participate in telephone pollsIncreasing refusal to participate in telephone pollsPolled individuals unfamiliar with issuesPolled individuals unfamiliar with issuesDishonesty by respondentsDishonesty by respondentsPoorly worded questions and poor question orderPoorly worded questions and poor question orderNon-opinionsNon-opinions

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The Measurement of Public OpinionThe Measurement of Public Opinion

The Influence of Public Opinion The Influence of Public Opinion on Policyon Policy

Disagreement over how much public opinion Disagreement over how much public opinion affects policy, and how much it affects policy, and how much it shouldshould affect affect policypolicy

Limits on public influenceLimits on public influenceInconsistencies in citizens’ policy preferencesInconsistencies in citizens’ policy preferencesCitizens’ lack of understanding of issuesCitizens’ lack of understanding of issues

Mastery of issues not necessary for opinion to be of Mastery of issues not necessary for opinion to be of value, but some issues require understandingvalue, but some issues require understanding

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The Influence of Public Opinion The Influence of Public Opinion on Policyon Policy

Public opinion and the boundaries of actionPublic opinion and the boundaries of actionSome policy actions outside boundaries of public Some policy actions outside boundaries of public

acceptabilityacceptabilityGreater the level of public involvement, the more Greater the level of public involvement, the more

likely officials will respond to public sentimentlikely officials will respond to public sentimentEven on popular issues, leaders have some Even on popular issues, leaders have some

discretiondiscretionLeaders can influence public opinion through Leaders can influence public opinion through

concerted effort concerted effort

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