1. Chapter 19 : Lesson 1 Shaping Public Opinion

2. What factors influence an individual’s political actions?
Essential Question
What factors influence an individual’s political actions?

3. What is Public Opinion?
Public opinion: the total of the opinions held concerning a particular issue
The term “public opinion” really refers to many opinions

4. What Shapes Opinions?
Opinions are shaped by influences from many sources
Family and Home
School, teachers, peers
Personal Experiences
Mass Media
Interest Groups
Religious Organizations

5. Vocabulary
Political Socialization: a process by which individuals learn their political beliefs and attitudes from family, school, friends, coworkers, and other sources

6. Personal Background Age Gender Income Race Religion Occupation
Place of residence
Ex. A young wealthy person from a big city will have different views about government than a poor elderly woman from a small town

7. Vocabulary
Peer Group: an individual’s close friends, religious group, clubs, and work groups.

8. Vocabulary
Mass Media: all the means communicating information to the general public, such as newspapers, magazines, radio, television and the Internet

9. Mass Media
Much of the information we need to make wise decisions about public issues comes from mass media

10. Vocabulary
Political Culture: a set of basic values and beliefs about a nation and it’s government that most citizens share

11. Vocabulary
Political efficacy: a person’s belief that he or she can have an impact on government and policy

12. Inaccurate Information
Often times news programs, newspapers, radio shows, internet sites etc… become one-sided when they allow the information they present to be swayed by their opinion
Effective citizenship requires us to think critically about what we see, hear, and read

13. Propaganda and Public Opinion
Many ideas in the mass media are directed at us for a purpose; to get us to think or act a certain way, buy or believe something.

14. Concealed Propaganda
When it is presented as being factual and its sources are kept secret
Used to fool people without letting them know its purpose is to influence their views

15. Revealed Propaganda
Makes readers or listeners aware that someone is trying to influence them
Almost all advertisements in America are revealed propaganda

16. Interest Group: group of people who share a similar point of view about an issue and unite to promote their beliefs

17. Review Question:
Chapter 19 : Lesson 1
Read pages and answer Review Questions on page 576. Hand in Google Class Room.