Public Opinion

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Public Opinion
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Public Opinion The rich mix of opinions held by
the diverse segments and various political groups
that constitute American society.
PUBLIC
ELITES
INSTITUTIONS
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Demographic Characteristics
People are likely to learn more about politics if
they have the
opportunity to learn
capacity to learn
interest in learning.
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Knowledge about politics is not uniformly
distributed across the public.
E D U C A T I O N
Schools offer the ability to learn, and those who
progress to higher levels of education must have
both the capacity for and interest in learning
By the time students graduate from college, most
follow politics in daily newspapers.
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Occupation and income, which along with education
constitute a persons socioeconomic status.
People with white collar jobs read higher
level publications respond to political
appeals interact with others about politics
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Social Characteristics
People who join and become active in
organizations, even if they are not political
organizations, are likely to learn more about
politics.
Labor Unions
Religious Groups
Professional Organizations
Civic Groups
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Psychological Characteristics
Interest in Politics
Sense of Political Efficacy
Tendency toward activism
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Issue Publics
People who follow a particular issue closely, are
well informed about it, and have strong opinions
on it.
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Issue Publics
Members are highly educated have high
incomes good jobs active in
organizations interested in politics feel
efficacious about politics.
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Issue Publics
When a conflict over policy arises and the
government must decide how to manage the
conflict, the greater knowledge people of high
socioeconomic status have gives them a better
chance to get what they want from government.
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OPINIONS or ATTITUDES
The process by which one acquires values and
develops opinions from society is called
socialization.
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SOCIALIZATION
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The central principle of liberalism is that the
government should play an extensive role in
society, protecting poorer or weaker citizens.
The central principle of conservatism is that the
government should play a minimal role in society,
except to uphold traditional moral standards.
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Liberals are willing to curtail economic freedom
and restrain capitalism in order to increase
political and economic equality.
Economic Matters
Conservatives oppose governmental limitations on
businesses or individual behavior, preferring to
let the free market determine economic outcomes.
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Liberals favor a much smaller role for
government, believing that the government should
not restrict individual freedoms.
Social Matters
Conservatives favor a more expansive role for
government, believing that majorities ought to be
able to limit personal behavior on moral grounds.
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Liberals believe that the U.S. foreign policy
should play down the use of military force, but
should focus on humanitarian and economic aid.
Foreign Affairs
Conservatives believe that the United States
should use military aid to promote its interests
overseas they place less priority on economic
and humanitarian aid.
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Components of Public Opinion
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Components of Public Opinion
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Components of Public Opinion
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Components of Public Opinion
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Measuring Public Opinion
Why is public opinion measured?
People are curious about how other Americans feel
on issues of public concern.
Market polls are used by industry and politicians
to test the attitudes toward products, including
political candidates.
Scientific opinion polling provides information
for political scientists and other scholars
seeking to improve their understanding of public
opinion.
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Measuring Public Opinion
Why is public opinion measured?
People are curious about how other Americans feel
on issues of public concern.
Market polls are used by industry and politicians
to test the attitudes toward products, including
political candidates.
Scientific opinion polling provides information
for political scientists and other scholars
seeking to improve their understanding of public
opinion.
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Measuring Public Opinion
Why is public opinion measured?
People are curious about how other Americans feel
on issues of public concern.
Market polls are used by industry and politicians
to test the attitudes toward products, including
political candidates.
Scientific opinion polling provides information
for political scientists and other scholars
seeking to improve their understanding of public
opinion.
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Measuring Public Opinion
Why is public opinion measured?
People are curious about how other Americans feel
on issues of public concern.
Market polls are used by industry and politicians
to test the attitudes toward products, including
political candidates.
Scientific opinion polling provides information
for political scientists and other scholars
seeking to improve their understanding of public
opinion.
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Accurate polling . . . . . . depends on two
factors
? The sample must be representative.
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Accurate polling . . . . . . depends on two
factors
? The sample must be representative.
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Accurate polling . . . . . . depends on two
factors
? The sample must be representative.
? The questions must be asked in the right way.
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Accurate polling . . . . . . depends on two
factors
? The sample must be representative.
? The questions must be asked in the right way.
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Elements of a Good Poll
? SCREENING FOR KNOWLEDGE
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Elements of a Good Poll
? SCREENING FOR KNOWLEDGE
? WORDING
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Elements of a Good Poll
? SCREENING FOR KNOWLEDGE
? WORDING
? ORDER
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Elements of a Good Poll
? SCREENING FOR KNOWLEDGE
? WORDING
? ORDER
? GLOBAL VIEWING
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Elements of a Good Poll
? SCREENING FOR KNOWLEDGE
? WORDING
? ORDER
? GLOBAL VIEWING
? UNIVERSE SUBSETS
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Elements of a Good Poll
? SCREENING FOR KNOWLEDGE
? WORDING
? ORDER
? GLOBAL VIEWING
? UNIVERSE SUBSETS
? TIME
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Push Polling
Asking the question in a biased format to push
for the answers wanted by the poll taker.
If you believe President Clinton lied to the
American people about Monica Lewinsky, would you
vote for Vice President Gore who defended the
president as one of the greatest in history?
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Skewed sample and biased question.
Should laws be passed to eliminate all
possibilities of special interests giving huge
sums of money to candidates? Ross Perot, 1992
Campaign
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Non-Biased Sample
Should laws be passed to prohibit interest groups
from contributing to campaigns? Or do groups
have a right to contribute to the candidate they
support? r Prohibit Contribution r Groups have
the right.