PUBLIC OPINION
Public Opinion
 How people think or feel about particular
issues.
 The first major academic studies of public
opinion were conducted in the 1940’s.
 What they found…
MEASURING PUBLIC OPINION
Polling
 Poll – A survey of public opinion
 Straw Poll – an unofficial vote or poll indicating
the trend of opinion about a candidate or issue.
 Sample – in polling, a small number of people
drawn from & analyzed as representative of
the total population to be surveyed.
 Sampling Error – The difference between the
results of random samples taken at the same
time.
 Exit Polls – Polls based on interviews
conducted on Election Day with randomly
selected voters.
Scientific Polling
 Based on several basic rules
Proper sample (based on random choice of the
population)
2. Fair & clear questions
3. Sample size
4. High margin of error
1.
FORMING & MEASURING
PUBLIC OPINION
Public Opinion
 Political Socialization – The process by which
personal and other background traits
influence one’s views about politics and
government matters.
 There are several factors that ultimately
influence a persons political attitude.
 A person’s political attitude can be influenced by
six key factors.
1. Family
2. Gender
3. Religion
4. Education
5. Race & Ethnicity
6. Region
Family
 Family - Families are the first to influence an
individual political opinion.
 Individuals are likely to agree with their parents on
specific issues.
 Equal rights for minorities, military spending, or
school prayer
Gender
 Gender - There are significant differences
between men and women and their political
views. Gender sensitive issues War, gun
control, pornography, and alcohol (c. 1900’s).
 1950’s  Women tended to be Republican
 1960’s  Women started to move Democrat
 Present day women, more than men tend to vote
for the Democratic party.
Religion
 Religion - Religious beliefs and practices
influence political attitudes in two areas
 Economic issues E.g. taxes, welfare programs, &
national spending
 Social issues E.g. equal rights, abortion, & school
prayer
Education
 Education - Schools acquaint young people
with the political system (like this class).
 College educated individuals tend to be more
liberal in their political views
 College students tend to be more liberal than the
rest of the general population
Race & Ethnicity
 This has continued to evolve and change over
time.
Region
 Region – North,
South, Midwest, etc.
Cleavages in Public Opinion
 Social Class
 Race & Ethnicity
 Region
POLITICAL IDEOLOGY
Political Ideology
 A more of less consistent set of beliefs about
what policies government ought to pursue.
Ideologies
 A body of ideas or views of the world that
reflect the social needs, values, and ideas of
an individual or group.
Liberal
 A person expressing political views or policies
that favor the use of governmental power to
promote individual liberties & social
programs.
Uses of the word Liberal
 Early 19th Century
 A person who favored personal and economic
liberty – this is, freedom from the controls and
powers of the state.
 FDR & the New Deal
 FDR used the term to refer to his political program
– one that called for an active national
government that would intervene in the economy,
create social programs, help certain groups, etc.
Conservative
 A person expressing political views that
generally favor traditional values, that status
quo, and the idea that government should
stay out of the idea that government should
stay out of the affairs of private citizens.
Uses of the word Conservative
 French Revolution
 A person who opposed the
excesses of the French Revolution
and its emphasis on personal
freedom and favored instead a
restoration of the power of the
state, the church, and the
aristocracy.
 FDR & the New Deal
 Opponents of an activist national
government
Moderate
 A person opposed to extreme views; one
whose political attitudes are between those
of a conservative and a liberal.
 Radical
 A person with extremely liberal political views
who favors rapid & widespread change to the
current political & social order.
 Reactionary
 A person with extremely conservative political
views who favors the widespread changes
necessary to return to an earlier government or
society.
Political Spectrum
Center
Left
Communist
Socialist
Liberal
Moderate
Right
Conservative
Reactionary
Fascist
 It is often very difficult for many Americans to
identify themselves into a single political
ideology.
 Many Americans will find themselves
agreeing with view points on either end of the
political spectrum.
 Here are some additional terms used to
describe political ideologies…
Libertarians
 These people are conservative on economic
matters and liberal on social ones.
 They want a small, weak government. One
that has little control over either the
economy or the personal lives of citizens
Populists
 These people are liberal on economic matter
and conservative on social ones.
 They want government that will reduce
economic inequality and control business, but
they also want to regulate personal conduct,
lock up criminals and permit school prayer.
Political Elites
 Persons with a disproportionate share of political
power – aka an activist
 Political Elites are the best educated, best-informed
and most politically active people nationwide with an
influence on public officials.
 Policy debates do not always engage political
opinion. Political Elites are often the first of the
public to become aware of an issue.
 The position taken by Political Elites of all stripes are
often an excellent barometer and a good way to
anticipate which way political winds will be blowing in
the near future.