Public Opinion

1
Public Opinion

• Now Chapter 6

2
Political Socialization

• We start our public opinion as youngsters and
  continue it through adulthood.
• This is known as political socialization.
• This is done by what side we take on issues,
  evaluate candidates, and opinions on policies.
  Also if you are involved in politics.
• Family and school have the strongest influence.

3
Agents of Socialization

• Agents of socialization individuals,
  organizations, and institutions that facilitate
  the acquisitions of political views.
• Families
• Children of activists are taught to be involved
  in community.
• Others might learn to boycott products.
• Family discussions

4
Medias Role

• Media imprints politics on all of us.
• Dora, Barney, Sesame Street- teach racial
  diversity.
• American Idol and Biggest Loser incorporate
  voting.
• The media reinforces core democratic values.
• Facebook as well is involved in politics.
• Media also helps determine National Agenda
• TV shows are bias as well.

5
School

• Schools teach children to be involved in the
  democratic process.
• Children are taught to be patriotic. Ex The
  pledge
• American Heroes
• Education level determines political involvement.

6
Religion

• Some people use this as a defining factor.
• 2008 poll showed Whites that went to church reg.
  favored McCain over Obama 65 to 28
• 2004 63 of church reg. fav. Bush over Kerry to
  37.
• 2000 54 fav. Bush over 37 Gore.
• Republican party is strong with Protestants less
  with Catholics, who general Democrats.

7
Religion

• Africans Americans that go to church favor
  Democrat.
• See table on pg. 217

8
Peers/ Political Leaders

• Friends let us know what is going on in the
  political spectrum and tell us how a certain
  candidate may favor us.
• The awards, honors, or phrases a leader has is a
  way to have an impact on us.
• Axis of Evil, Nobel Prize, the squawk

9
Race and Ethnicity

• 2008 poll
• Whites McCain 55
• Africans Obama 95
• Latinos Obama 67
• Asians Obama 66
• See chart on pg.218

10
Ethnicity

• A.A youth are more likely to vote these days, and
  be active in political groups
• Asians are more active in their communities and
  willing to help their community solve problems
• Young Latinos least likely to participate in
  community or politics.

11
Gender

• Gender Gap the measurable difference in the way
  women and men vote for candidates and in the way
  they view political issues.
• This was first noticed by Eleanor Smeal form NOW
  in the 1980 Presidential election. She noticed
  women favored Carter.
• Women are more likely to favor Democrats.
• For voting patterns Women in all age groups
  except 25 are more likely to vote than their male
  counterparts.
• What this means is no candidate can ignore the
  gender gap.

12
Gender/Age

• Men are more likely to vote, persuade others to
  vote, donate money to campaigns than women are.
• Women are more likely to be community activists,
  volunteer, and try to solve problems with
  neighbors.
• Generational effect the impact of an important
  external event in shaping the views of a
  generation. Ex Great Depression, 9/11, and age
  of candidate.

13
Geographic Region

• Geographical Differences started during the
  foundation of our nation between north and south
  slave issue
• North was Republican and South was Democratic.
• This change when the civil rights movement
  occurred
• See pg 222 for Religion.

14
Measuring Public Opinion

• Public Opinion the publics expressed views about
  an issue at a specific point in time.
• Public Opinion and Ideology are linked because
  ideology is the prism through which people view
  political issues.
• It started with the founding fathers and The
  Federalist Papers. Those were to influence
  public opinion.
• This can be measured by people protesting, or
  writings in a newspaper, or through a public
  opinion poll.

15
Public Opinion Polls

• Walter Lippmann stressed the importance of these
  polls along with value of measuring accurately.
• Straw Poll a poll conducted unscientific manner
  to predict election outcomes.
• First was FDR vs. Alfred Landon done by Literary
  Digest.
• The poll favored Alfred Landon but FDR won in a
  landslide.
• Error occurred because they only polled
  subscribers to the magazine and not a larger
  population
• This poll lead George Gallup to make a poll.
• Truman

16
How Polls are conducted

• The group has to figure out target population.
• Ex Neighbor running for election. The poll must
  keep narrowing down to get the best results.

17
Sampling

• Random Sampling a scientific method of selection
  for a poll in which each member of the population
  has an equal chance at being include in the
  sample.
• This helps make the poll not skewed so that one
  component of the population is not over rep.

18
Sampling Cont..

• Quota Sample a method by which pollsters
  structure a sample so that it is representative
  of the characteristics of the target population.
• Stratified Sampling a process of random sampling
  in which the national population is divided into
  fourths and certain areas with in theses regions
  are selected as representatives of the national
  population
• This type of poll is the most widely used.

19
Sampling Error

• Most national polling samples range from 1,000 to
  1,500 people.
• Key is to the sample is to accurately reflect the
  population.
• Time of day is everything.
• Sampling Error (margin error) a statistical
  calculation of the difference in results between
  a poll of randomly drawn sample and the entire
  population.
• Most polls have a 3 -

20
Types of Polls

• Tracking Polls Polls that measure changes in
  public opinion over the course of days, weeks,
  or months by repeatedly asking respondents the
  same questions and measuring their responses.
• Push Polls A special type of poll that both
  provides information to campaigns about the
  candidates strengths and weaknesses and attempts
  to skew the public opinion.
• Exit Polls Polls conducted a polling place on
  Election Day to determine the winner of an
  election before the polls are closed.

21
Most important Problem

• At the present time it is the Economy and has
  been since April 2008.
• Until Nov. 2007 it was the war in Iraq until it
  changed to the economy.
• April 2008 poll showed that 15 of Americans
  satisfied with the state of the nation and 83
  were dissatisfied.

22
Why is public opinion important

• Even though its measuring the institutions rather
  than individuals, individuals can use this to
  measure how well they performed.
• Second it measures the trust of the government.
  If people trust the government they are more
  willing to help out the government meet the needs
  of the people.

23
Why is public opinion important

• People trust in the government handling
  international affairs has declined steadily since
  9/11.
• Peoples trust in the government handling domestic
  affairs has declined steadily ever since
  Hurricane Katrina.
• The same goes for trust in the executive branch.
  The only time the number was lower was the height
  of the Watergate scandal.
• It should be noted that the Judicial branch tends
  to score higher on the trust factors than the
  other two branches.
• Also when the Legislative Branchs trust level is
  high than the Executive branch is low and vice
  versa.