Section 1-Key Terms

Guide to Reading

Content Vocabulary

• public opinion

• mass media

• interest group

Section 1

Public Opinion

Public opinion, the ideas and attitudes most people hold, plays a vital role in our democracy.

Section 1

Public Opinion (cont.)

• Public opinion refers to ideas and attitudes people hold about a particular issue or person.

• Public opinion is of political importance.

Section 1

• Sources of public opinion:

– Personal background (age, gender, income, race, religion, occupation, place of residence)

– Mass media

– Public officials

– Interest groups

Public Opinion (cont.)

Section 1

Measuring Public Opinion

The most common way of measuring public opinion is with public opinion polls.

Section 1

Measuring Public Opinion (cont.)

• Public opinion polls measure public opinion.

• Pollster is a specialist who measures the president’s popularity or towards possible proposals

Pre-Election Approval Ratings, 1955–2003

Section 2

The Media’s Impact (cont.)

• The mass media influences politics and government, and connects the people and elected officials.

America’s Use of Mass Media

Section 2

The Media’s Impact (cont.)

• Newspapers, magazines, newsletters, and books as examples of print media

• Radio, television, and the Internet as examples of electronic media

• Influence of profit on news coverage

America’s Use of Mass Media

Section 2

• Influence of the media on:

– The public agenda – issues considered most significant by government officials

– Political candidates

– Watchdog role

– Media and National Security?

The Media’s Impact (cont.)

America’s Use of Mass Media

Section 3

Types of Interest Groups (cont.)

• Interest groups are organizations of people who unite to promote their ideas.

Section 3

• Economic interest groups:

– U.S. Chamber of Commerce promoting free enterprise

– Tobacco Institute representing cigarette manufacturers

– AFL-CIO representing workers

– The American Medical Association representing doctors

Types of Interest Groups (cont.)

Section 3

• Other interest groups:

– NAACP improving the lives of African Americans

– NOW representing women’s interests

– AARP promoting interests of older Americans

– Sierra Club protecting nature

– NRA looking after interests of gun owners

Types of Interest Groups (cont.)

Section 3

• Public interest groups working to benefit Americans in general

− League of Women Voters is an example of a nonpartisan, or impartial group

Types of Interest Groups (cont.)

• Interests groups supporting candidates and forming political action committees

• Interest groups bringing cases to court

Section 3

• Interest groups influencing lawmakers by using lobbyists who:

– have a good understanding of how the government functions.

– know which government department to contact about concerns.

– supply lawmakers with useful information that help their own cases.

Types of Interest Groups (cont.)

Section 3

– suggest solutions and problems to lawmakers.

– prepare their own drafts of bills for lawmakers.

– testify in legislative hearings on bills.

– see that laws are enforced.

Types of Interest Groups (cont.)