Chapter 6: The Politics of Public Opinion

Political Socialization Notes

I. Political Culture

• Definition: refers to American democratic values.

• A. Common set of beliefs and values shared by Americans:

  1. Majority Rules / Minority Rights

  • Governance according to the expressed preferences of the majority.

  • Definition of majority: 50 + 1 is necessary for majority.

  • Definition of plurality: having the most but less than majority.

  • Importance of protecting minority rights must be guaranteed.

  1. Equality

  • Concept of equality under the law and within the political process.

  1. Private Property

  • Ownership that is protected by law and supported by capitalism, essential for a free economy.

  1. Individual Freedoms

  • Guarantees of civil liberties and protections against infringements on these freedoms.

  1. Compromise

  • The necessity for the majority to work with the minority for better governance.

  1. Limited Government

  • Government powers restricted by the will of the people and existing laws.

• B. Social Capital

  • Robert Putnam's concept explaining what makes democracy work: democratic and civil habits of discussion, compromise, and respect for differences which grow from participation in voluntary organizations.

II. Political Socialization

• A. Definition: The process by which citizens acquire a sense of political identity.

• B. Agents of Socialization:

  1. Family

  • The most significant factor influencing party identification and ideology development.

  • Influence is strongest when both parents identify with the same party.

  1. Schools

  • Have limited effect on pre-held beliefs, even on the college level.

  • Schools teach patriotism, governmental functions, structure, and encourage political participation.

  1. Group Affiliations

  • Engage interest groups, labor unions, and professional organizations that create common bonds expressed through group activities.

  1. Demographic Factors

  • Factors such as occupation, race, gender, age, religion, region of the country, income, education, and ethnicity can influence political views.

  1. Mass Media

  • Plays a crucial role in informing the public about issues and setting political and public agendas.

  1. Opinion Leaders

  • Individuals respected for their position, expertise, or personality that can influence public opinion, either intentionally or unintentionally.

  1. Events

  • Significant events may instill either positive or negative attitudes in citizens.

  • Example: The Watergate scandal led to greater mistrust of government; the events of September 11, 2001, raised a patriotic spirit across many parts of the United States.

III. Public Opinion

• A. Definition: A collection of shared attitudes among many different individuals relating to politics, public issues, or public policy making.

  1. Public opinion is shaped by an individual's political culture and political socialization.

  2. Public opinion can be analyzed by several characteristics:

  • Distribution: Describes the physical shape of responses when graphed.

  • Intensity: Reflects how strongly opinions are held.

  • Stability: Examines how much opinions change over time.

  1. Consensus: Occurs when there is an agreement on an issue.

  2. Divisive Opinion: A public opinion that is sharply divided between two differing views.

• B. Measuring Public Opinion:

  1. Modern Polling: Originated in the 1930s, pioneered by George Gallup.

  • Sampling: Participants in a poll must be representative and randomly chosen.

  1. Preparing Valid Questions:

  • Questions should be clearly stated, unbiased, and arranged logically to avoid leading the respondent.

  1. Controlling Poll Administration:

  • Ensuring that respondents have knowledge of the issues and avoiding influence through the pollster's demeanor or appearance.

  • Survey methods can include telephone, mail, or in-person interviews.

  1. Analyzing and Reporting Results:

  • Misreporting can occur if the method of taking a poll and sampling errors are not disclosed, leading to misinformation.

  • Use of statistical analysis through computers has enhanced polling accuracy as a research tool.

IV. Political Ideology

• A. Definition: A set of beliefs regarding politics and public policy that shapes perception of government and public policy.

• B. The Political Spectrum:

  1. Radical:

  • Advocates for rapid, fundamental change, sometimes through extreme means such as violence or revolution to create a new system.

  1. Liberal:

  • Supports active government that promotes individual welfare and civil rights, endorses peaceful changes through the existing political framework.

  1. Moderate:

  • Falls between liberal and conservative ideologies, often tolerant of diverse viewpoints without holding extreme opinions.

  1. Conservative:

  • Endorses minimal government intervention in economic matters, emphasizes traditional values, and supports national security.

  1. Reactionary:

  • Seeks to return to a previous political or social state, often idealizing earlier systems of order and may use extreme measures to achieve their desires.

V. American Political Landscape

• A. Ethnocentrism:

  • The belief in the superiority of one's own nation or ethnic group, which influences public attitudes toward governance.

• B. Political Socialization and Predisposition:

  1. Predictive characteristics regarding political behavior, influenced by demographics:

  • Example: Individuals aged 65 years or older tend to support Democratic policies associated with social programs like Social Security.

  1. Cleavages:

  • Define significant differences among populations based on socioeconomic and demographic categories:

    • a. Reinforcing Cleavage:

      • Divisions in society that intensify similarities among groups, leading to increased homogeneity.

    • b. Cross-Cutting Cleavage:

      • Divisions that intersect across demographic lines, resulting in heterogeneous or diverse groups.

VI. Causes of Diversity in America

• A. Diversity arises from different social and ethnic backgrounds.

• B. Economic and class divisions further compound diversity.

• C. Geographic variations also contribute to the diverse political landscape of America.