1. Public Opinion

2. The Basics
Public Opinion- citizens attitudes about political issues, leaders, institutions, and events.
Values (or beliefs)- the basic principles that shape a person’s opinions about political issues and events.
Political ideology- a cohesive set of beliefs that form a general philosophy about the role of government.
Attitude (or opinion)- a specific preference on a specific issue.

3. Common Values in America
Equality of opportunity- all have the freedom to use whatever talents and wealth they possess to reach their full potential.
Democracy- that public officials should be chosen by majority vote
Liberty- the freedom to express ones views

4. Political Socialization
Political socialization- the induction of individuals into the political culture; the process of learning the underlying beliefs and values on which the political system is based.
Agents
Family
Social Groups
Education
Political Conditions

5. Family Do you know what your parents’ political beliefs are?
Did your parents ever ask for a vote on where to go to dinner?
Did your parents tell you that everyone should be allowed to express their opinions?
Children are more likely to adopt the political beliefs of their parents than not.

6. Social Groups Play an important role in political socialization.
Can be chosen or involuntary
Race
Gender
Occupation
Political Party
Political opinions can be rational for individuals when considering their social groups: EX- Farmers are overwhelmingly in favor of farming subsidies

9. Education
Governments use public education to try to teach all children a common set of values.
Level of education can be an indication of opinions and participation.
The largest difference is in the amount of political participation. “college graduates vote, write letters to the editor, join campaigns, take part in protests, and generally make their voices heard.”

10. Political Conditions
Great or poor conditions in a country can color the political beliefs and identifications of citizens
Ex: Those who grew up during the Great Depression and WWII developed a great loyalty to Roosevelt and the Democratic party.
Ex: Many African Americans voted Republican due to Abraham Lincoln
How has 9/11 impacted political participation and opinion?

11. Realigning Election
Realigning Election- where a segment of the population align themselves with a different party in an election.
Only one true example- FDR’s first election in 1932 when many people left the Republican party because of the Great Depression and aligned themselves with the Democrats

13. Political Knowledge You can always be a free rider
25% of Americans polled could name their two senators
Political ignorance is a fact of political life given the high cost of political attentiveness.
Reading, thinking, participation, social friction, and pessimism can all be costs of political knowledge
You can always be a free rider
An individual who does not to join a group representing his or her interests yet receives the benefit of the group’s influence.
None of the work. All of the problems.

14. Shortcuts
The trusted other, believe what someone you usually agree with believes (the opposite is also true)
Party affiliation or ideology

15. Why that isn’t so good in a Democracy
Issues are often too complex to lend themselves to simple ideological interpretation.
Shortcut takers can become victims in political struggles because they cannot effectively defend their political interests
Large numbers of politically inattentive people means that the political process can be more easily manipulated by the forces that seek to shape public opinion.

16. How polarized is public opinion?
State results, by land area
How polarized is public opinion?
County results, by land area
State results, by population
County results, by population

18. Measuring Public Opinion (Basics)
Public Opinion Polls- the scientific instruments for measuring public opinion
Sample- a small group selected by researchers to represent the most important characteristics of an entire population

19. Measuring Public Opinion (Types)
Probability sampling- a method used by pollsters to select a representative sample in which every individual in the population has an equal probability of being selected as a respondent
Random digit dialing- a poll in which respondents are selected at random from a list of ten digit telephone numbers, with every effort made to avoid bias in the construction of the sample

20. Measuring Public Opinion (Errors)
Selection bias- a polling error in which the sample is not representative of the population being studied, so that some opinions are over- or underrepresented.
Sampling error- a polling error that arises on account of the small size of the sample
Measurement error- the failure to identify the true distribution of opinion within a population because of errors such as ambiguous or poorly worded questions
Push Polling- A polling technique in which the questions are designed to shape a respondent’s opinion

21. Measuring Public Opinion (Effects)
Illusion of Salience- The impression conveyed by polls that something is important to the public when it actually is not.
Bandwagon effect- a shift in electoral support to the candidate whom public opinion polls report as the front runner.
Rally round the flag effect- a shift in electoral support to the status quo during a time of war or crisis.

22. How does this influence policy?
Individual doorstep opinions vs. aggregate public opinion
Between 1935 and 1979 about 2/3 of all cases significant changes in public opinion were followed within one year by policy changes
Why doesn’t policy always follow opinion
The majority may not be intensely committed as the minority
Structure of the government creates a lag time (ex: supreme court rulings)
Party leadership may be slow, or unwilling to react

23. Shaping Opinion Government
Presidents and the Executive branch use polls, focus groups, planted news stories, and film to try to persuade the public with propaganda.

26. Shaping Opinion Interest Groups
Special interests groups may try to shape opinion because of values or personal interest.

27. Shaping Opinion The Media Can be outlets for the other two
Do the scandals that the media uncovers impact your view of politicians and politics?

28. Ex: Bridgegate