Public Opinion

Onion model - based on activity / engagement

ordered from inside to outside

very center is activists, very educated / informed, vey involved and committed, job may be political

next is attentive public people who are educated and vote often

next is mobilizable public easy to convince to participate not always participated must be encouraged

next is disinterested public people who don’t vote for whatever reason

most outside group is non participatory people who cannot vote

events can change public opinion

ex: Great Depression - changed view on federalism

Hurricane Katrina - government involvement

Vietnam war - loss in trust of the governemnt

Forming Public Opinion

  1. event takes place

  2. media covers event

  3. individuals respond

  4. peer and secondary groups form thoughts

  5. measure public opinion

  6. public opinion is formed

Types of polls

Benchmark - what are my odds? how do people like me

Tracking - sequel to benchmark, ask the same people a question after an amount of time

Opinion - most common, can be about anything

Entrance / Exit poll - occurs on election day, who will you vote for / who did you vote for, campaigns use them for planning. media uses it for content

Focus group - NOT representative / measuring, trying to gauge reactions