THE AMERICAN THE AMERICAN POLITICAL SYSTEMPOLITICAL SYSTEM

LECTURE 8 POLITICAL SOCIALIZATION AND PUBLIC OPINION

POLITICAL SOCIALIZATIONPOLITICAL SOCIALIZATION

Learning political behaviorLearning about political ideas, political

systems, our roles in the democratic political system

Political socialization: individual levelIdeas and feelings about issues are

collectively and publicly expressed: public opinion

SYSTEM THEORY OF POLITICAL SYSTEM THEORY OF POLITICAL SOCIALIZATIONSOCIALIZATION

Developed by David Easton and Jack Dennis

A generational process passed on from older people to younger people

Specific support: allegiance given to the system by the people because it delivers what they want

I.e. I am a Republican because the Republican Party believes in cutting taxes

DIFFUSE SUPPORT (SYSTEM DIFFUSE SUPPORT (SYSTEM THEORY)THEORY)

Support given to the system even though presently people are not pleased with its operation at the moment „my country right or wrong”

Paying taxes, even though taxes are too high

Stages: politicization: child becomes aware of authority outside the family, police officer giving a fine for speeding

SYSTEMS THEORY OF DIFFUSE SYSTEMS THEORY OF DIFFUSE SUPPORTSUPPORT

Personalizing outside authority, associating it with certain people—President

Idealizing authority: Police officer is protective, helpful, good

Positive feelings towards figures of authority are transformed into acceptance of the whole system of government

HEGEMONIC THEORYHEGEMONIC THEORY

Political socialization results from a power relation between the dominant ruling group and the dominated governed group

Government uses propaganda and censorship

(flags, national anthems, national heroes)Censorship: (prior restraint)screening

information, which is not in the interest of the ruling group

Stages of political socialization: childhood, adolescence, and adulthood

AGENTS OF POLITICAL AGENTS OF POLITICAL SOCIALIZATIONSOCIALIZATION

Family:persistence of political beliefs through generations

Beliefs concerning ethnic, racial, religious groups

Family identifies child’s identification with political parties

Forming the child’s feeling towards authority

AGENTS OF POLITICAL AGENTS OF POLITICAL SOCIALIZATIONSOCIALIZATION

Schools: civics classes, national anthems,

Teacher as an authority figurePeers: People of similar ages and

interestsIncreased influence during adolescenceMedia: mass communication Cannot tell

what to think, but can influence what to think about

PUBLIC OPINIONPUBLIC OPINION

Develops during the communication process

Person to person communication—more persuasive, direct, message tailored to individual, reward system: instant feedback

Government and government officials: declaring nations that are enemies or friends. How much information is released about a given issue

PUBLIC OPINIONPUBLIC OPINION

Media:Influence the formation of opinion on particular issues V. O. Key: reinforcement of the status quo

Preconceptions: selected exposure to various messages Republicans do not attend Democratic Party events

Social settings: the socio-economic status group of the receiver., ethnic, racial affiliations

Opinion leaders: avid listeners of the media passing along its messages according to their own screening

MEASURING PUBLIC OPINIONMEASURING PUBLIC OPINION

Straw polls: not scientific, using the mail, telephone, and other direct communication messages, asking the „man on the street”

Scientific polling: sampling processSecuring a representative sample: Who will be

interviewed and how will the interview be conducted

Random sampling: interviewing randomly selected people at a particular area

Quota method:interviewing a certain number of people from a certain age, sex, religious, or ethnic group