Public opinion's important rolethe will of the people
Chapter theme: public opinion is powerful but inexact
The chapter's main points:
Public opinion consists of views of ordinary citizens that are openly expressed
Individuals acquire political opinions through the process of political socialization
Americans' opinions are shaped by frames of reference, including ideology, group attachments, partisanship, and political culture
Public opinion influences government but usually doesn't determine its action
The Nature of Public Opinion
Defining Public Opinion
America-- A nation of many "publics"
Opinions lacking on some issues
Majority opinion might exist only on a few broad issues
Public opinion affected the Vietnam War
Government by Majority Opinion?
How Informed Is Public Opinion?
The Measurement of Public Opinion
Section Introduction
A time-honored method of interpreting public opinion is election returns
Letters to the editor and congressman is also another way the public expresses it opinions
Public opinion is intangible and must be assessed indirectly
Public Opinion Polls
Polls use a "sample" to estimate views of a "population"
Poll accuracy is measured in terms of "sampling error"
Problems with Polls
Mathematical estimations of poll accuracy require a probability sample
Some polls are not based on probability sampling, such as "people-in-the-street" interviews
Polls can also be misleading if they include poorly worded questions or ask people about remote topics
Despite sources of error, polls and surveys are the most relied-upon method of measuring public opinion
Political Socialization: How Americans Learn Their Politics
Section Introduction
The learning process by which people acquire their political opinions, beliefs, and values is called political socialization
For most Americans, the socialization process starts in the family with exposure to the political loyalties and opinions of parents
The Process of Socialization
Socialization is a lifelong process
Primary and structuring tendencies
The age-cohort tendency (among younger citizens)
The Agents of Political Socialization
The Family: Children accept parents' views
The School: Builds support for nation, civic obligations
The Mass Media: News coverage can affect people's political perceptions
Peers: Many people trust their friends, neighbors, co-workers
Churches: Important source of politically relevant attitudes
Political Leaders and Political Institutions: Shape political debate through symbols
Frames of Reference: How Americans Think Politically
Section Introduction
The ways in which citizens think politically provide clues about the way in which public opinion is likely to affect government
It is important to understand how the people think politically - a shared frame of reference can bring citizens together in the pursuit of a common goal
Cultural Thinking: Common Ideas
Commitment to principles such as individualism, equality, self-government
There are limits, of course, to the degree to which Americans' basic beliefs shape their policy opinions
Ideological Thinking: The Outlook for Some
Commentators on public opinion in the United Sates often use such ideological words as liberal and conservative in describing how ordinary citizens think about political issues
Although ideological terms are often used to describe mass publics, they do not accurately describe how most people think about politics
Nevertheless, analysts sometimes find it useful to measure the public's ideological tendencies
Ideological classifications
Conservatives: Favor government action in upholding social values, but not in distributing economic benefits
Liberals: Favor government action in distributing economic benefits, but not in upholding social values
Populists: Favor government action both in distributing economic benefits and in upholding social values
Libertarians: Oppose government action in distributing economic benefits and in upholding social values
Conservatives are the largest group (31 percent in 1997)
Group Thinking: The Outlook of Many
Religion: Differences among groups on abortion, welfare issues, prayer
Class: Lower-income Americans more supportive of social welfare programs
Region: Due to mobility, regional differences have declined, but some persist
Race and Ethnicity: Whites and African Americans differ on integration, crime, welfare
Gender: Women and men differ on welfare and state-sponsored force
Age: Young and old differ on public school funding, programs for retirees
Cross-Cutting Cleavages: Although group loyalties can have a powerful impact on people's opinions, their influence is diminished when identification to one group is offset by identification with other groups
Partisan Thinking: The Line That Divides
Party identification"a person's ingrained sense of loyalty to a political party"
Recent studies have shown that party loyalties are more fluid that previously believed
Party loyalties can be influenced by issues and candidates of the moment
Partisanship affects perceptions of issues
Partisanship is a strong force, but its influence is declining
The Influence of Public Opinion on Policy
Page and Shapiro: U.S. officials are reasonably responsive to public opinion
Is government sufficiently responsive to public opinion?
