The Last Word: Assignment 4 for Wednesday Consider: Give one reason why you think PTSD moved government from 9 th grade to 11 th grade…

Ideological silos The tendency of people to surround themselves with people who agree with their point of view or political perspective ◦ Why might this be harmful?

Shaping our opinions There are several different ways that our opinions can be shaped after they have been primarily formed…

The Mass Media  Traditional news sources Americans are turning away from them Less cable TV news and newspapers  Non-traditional news media Talk radio, online magazines, blogs  Cable and Internet Often skewed; better off with Sunday morning talk, Daily Show and NPR

Cues from Leaders or Opinion Makers  Political leaders use media to influence public  Press conferences, media events, press releases  President uses media as a bully pulpit  Why is this more effective for the president? 10.4

Propaganda What are some of the various techniques you are familiar with? How do advertisers attempt to sell soap, for example?

Forming and Shaping Political Opinions Unit 2 AP Government and Politics

Political Socialization The process by which we “learn” about politics and how to view it (“do” it). ◦ Influences on your political opinions change over time in both source and intensity Induction into political culture, and norms ◦ How beliefs are shaped

The sources of American political culture How did our history influence the development of our unique PC? ◦ Protection of Rights ◦ Distrust of authority ◦ Peaceful transitions of power ◦ Religious diversity/separation from government

Forming Political Opinions  Where do most Americans learn what it means to be an “American”?  What has taken the place of the family in many cases?  Family, Peers, and School  Family influence Children learn political beliefs at early age  Peers are influential in middle or high school  Political socialization in school  Demographic Characteristics  Men vs. Women (the Gender Gap)  Also affected by education, number of children, and marital status  Race – and within races; “the Hispanic question”  Age  Religion 10.4

FIGURE 10.3: What are the ideological identifications of first-year college students? 10.4

The Last Word: Assignment 4 for Wednesday Consider: What has been the biggest influence on your political beliefs?

TABLE 10.1: Do men and women think differently about political issues? 10.4