Public Opinion and Political Socialization

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Public Opinion andPolitical Socialization
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What is Public Opinion?

• Collected attitudes of citizens on a given issue
  or question
• Common to see polls and surveys concerning policy
  or political issues
• Should policymakers be prisoners of public
  opinion?

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Political Socialization

• How people acquire their values, become aware of
  politics, learn political facts, and form
  political values
• Who or what are major socializing agents in our
  society?

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Agents of Political Socialization

• Family
• School
• Distinction b/t elem/sec versus college
• Community and Peers
• Mass Media
• Especially tv most news is received by tv
• Social groups (religion, race, ethnicity, gender,
  age, region)
• Impact of events

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Characteristics and Political ValuesIndividual
characteristics will affect your political values
-- How might the following affect opinions on
abortion?

• Region of the Country
• Race
• Gender
• Religion
• Age

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Ideology and Public Opinion

• Political ideology -- individuals values and
  beliefs about the purpose and scope of govt.
• Ideology does affect public opinion, but it is
  unclear how much
• People tend to be liberal on some issues and
  conservative on others

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How do we form political opinions?

• Personal Benefits
• people choose what benefits them personally
• Political Knowledge
• Political leadership
• shaped by the leaders that inform us

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Public Opinion and Policy

• What is the role of polling and public opinion on
  policymaking?
• Should policymakers change policy in response to
  these polls or changes in opinion?
• What about intensity of opinion?