1. Group differences in opinions

2. Important differences Race/Ethnicity Religion – Denomination – Religiosity Education Economic status Region Generation: contrast with age Gender

3. Classifying Opinions Economic: Liberal vs. conservative Social: Liberal vs. conservative Foreign affairs: Internationalist vs. isolationist Use of force Party identification Relation to liberal/conservative

4. Patterns Economic: blacks, lower income, Catholics & Jews, North (especially Northeast) more liberal Social: educated, less religious, younger generations, Northeast and West coast, women more liberal Foreign: educated more internationalist, blacks and women less in favor of force Party: Blacks, Jews, Catholics, non-religious, lower income, women more Democratic. South less.

5. Reasons for group differences in opinion Interests General values and beliefs Differential association Continuity of group Application to different groups in American society