Public Opinion

Public Opinion

• Democratic governments should reflect the will of the people– How do we know what that is?– Average citizens do not always have informed

opinions about every issue, and thus are open to influence

Fundamental Values

• Most Americans share a belief in a common set of principles

Political Values

• Political Socialization: The process through which underlying political beliefs and values are formed

• Our underlying beliefs tend to shape how we approach new information– Those underlying beliefs are shaped by our life

experiences, especially those involving family upbringing, social groups, education, and the general political climate

Influences on Our Political Values

• Family– The stories we hear growing up in our families can

be highly influential if they are coherent and consistent

• Social Groups– If people of the same backgrounds tend to have

similar life experiences, then it is possible those experiences will shape their understanding of the political world

Influences on Our Political Values

Influences on Our Political Values

Influences on Our Political Values

• The Gender Gap– Due to their experiences in life, men and women

often see issues differently– Insert Table 5.1 here

Disagreements among Men and Women on National Security Issues

Influences on Our Political Values

• Education

Influences on Our Political Values

• Political Conditions– Race relations– Feminism– Personal freedoms versus national security

Political Ideologies

• Ideology: A set of underlying orientations, ideas, and beliefs

– Liberalism and conservatism are two main political ideologies in the U.S. today

From Political Values to Ideology

Political Ideologies

• Liberalism (Domestic)– Government involvement in economy to protect

workers– Expansion of social services– Efforts on behalf of the poor, minorities, women,

consumers, and the environment– Rights for the accused– Separation of church and state

Political Ideologies

• Liberalism (Foreign Affairs)– Favor arms control– Opposition to expansion of nuclear weapons– Support aid to poor nations– Opposition to the use of American troops to

influence the domestic affairs of developing countries

– Support for international organizations

Political Ideologies

• Conservatism (Domestic)– Opposed to social and economic engineering such

as wealth redistribution and affirmative action– Favor light regulation of business, low taxation,

traditional family structures, and school prayer– Concern for victims of crimes over perpetrators

Political Ideologies

• Conservatism (Foreign Affairs)– Support for military power– Distrust of entanglements with international

organizations

Americans’ Shifting Ideology, 1992–2009

Political Knowledge

• Political Knowledge– The more we know the more we can:

• integrate new knowledge into our interpretations• understand what new data are important

– Most Americans have limited political knowledge– Political knowledge leads to political efficacy

Shaping Public Opinion

• Three very powerful sources of influence over public opinion:– Political leaders– Private groups– The media

Shaping Public Opinion

• Political Leaders– Presidential administrations have enormous

capacities to shape public opinion• Stress certain issues and not others• Influence how departments depict issues

Shaping Public Opinion

• Private Groups– Many groups have a very wide reach into society,

especially churches– Employ their specialists to deploy specific

knowledge effectively– Feed the media and reach like-minded individuals

easily

Shaping Public Opinion

Shaping Public Opinion

• Media– Very effective at telling

Americans what issues are important

– Can frame what it means for a politician to be successful

– Can shape how people understand the meaning of a conflict

Measuring Public Opinion

• Polling– Sample

• Probability sampling• Random Digit Dialing

– Selection Bias– Sample Size– Margin of Error

• Survey Design– Measurement Error

• Question Wording• Push Polling

Sampling Techniques and Selection Bias

Two Pollsters and Their Records (1948–2008)

Two Pollsters and Their Records (1948–2008) (cont’d)

Public Opinion and Democracy

• Why don’t leaders always follow public opinion?– How strongly do people hold opinions?– The structure of American government– Governing often involves compromise

Public Opinion Poll

Do you agree or disagree that the policies of the United States government represent the preferences and opinions of the American people?

a) Strongly agree

b) Agree

c) Disagree

d) Strongly disagree

Public Opinion Poll

Some political leaders poll public opinion on a daily basis while others place less emphasis on polling, apparently believing they should follow their own judgment rather than popular sentiment. Which of these views do you believe is more appropriate in a democracy?

a) Political leaders should primarily govern based on the policy preferences of the public.

b) Political leaders should primarily govern based on their own judgment.

Public Opinion Poll

Americans vary enormously in their knowledge about government and politics, yet we treat all opinions as having equal weight. Should everyone’s political opinions be treated equally?

a) Yes

b) No

Public Opinion Poll

Do you believe the majority of your political opinions are based on a full understanding of the issues?

a) Yes

b) No

Public Opinion Poll

Which of the following political values do you believe is MOST important?

a) Equality of opportunity

b) Liberty

c) Democracy

Public Opinion Poll

Which of the following do you feel has had the greatest influence on your political values?

a) Family

b) Social groups (racial, religious, national)

c) Education

d) Political conditions/experiences

Public Opinion Poll

Some commentators have pointed out that much of America is “purple” rather than “red” or “blue.” To what extent do you agree or disagree that the red state/blue state stereotypes apply to your state?

a) Strongly agree

b) Agree

c) Disagree

d) Strongly Disagree

Chapter 5: Public Opinion

• Quizzes

• Flashcards

• Outlines

• Exercises

wwnorton.com/we-the-people

Following this slide, you will find additional images, figures, and tables from the textbook.

Understanding Public Opinion

Become a Savvy Consumer of Polls