Public Opinion
Public Opinion
• Democratic governments should reflect the
will of the people
– How do we know what that is?
– Average citizens do not always have informed
opinions about every issue, and thus are open to
influence
Fundamental Values
• Most Americans share a belief in a common
set of principles
Political Values
• Political Socialization: The process through
which underlying political beliefs and values
are formed
• Our underlying beliefs tend to shape how we
approach new information
– Those underlying beliefs are shaped by our life
experiences, especially those involving family
upbringing, social groups, education, and the
general political climate
Influences on Our Political Values
• Family
– The stories we hear growing up in our families can
be highly influential if they are coherent and
consistent
• Social Groups
– If people of the same backgrounds tend to have
similar life experiences, then it is possible those
experiences will shape their understanding of the
political world
Influences on Our Political Values
Influences on Our Political Values
Influences on Our Political Values
• The Gender Gap
– Due to their experiences in life, men and women
often see issues differently
– Insert Table 5.1 here
Disagreements among Men and
Women on National Security Issues
Influences on Our Political Values
• Education
Influences on Our Political Values
• Political Conditions
– Race relations
– Feminism
– Personal freedoms versus national security
Political Ideologies
• Ideology: A set of underlying orientations,
ideas, and beliefs
– Liberalism and conservatism are two main political
ideologies in the U.S. today
From Political Values to Ideology
Political Ideologies
• Liberalism (Domestic)
– Government involvement in economy to protect
workers
– Expansion of social services
– Efforts on behalf of the poor, minorities, women,
consumers, and the environment
– Rights for the accused
– Separation of church and state
Political Ideologies
• Liberalism (Foreign Affairs)
– Favor arms control
– Opposition to expansion of nuclear weapons
– Support aid to poor nations
– Opposition to the use of American troops to
influence the domestic affairs of developing
countries
– Support for international organizations
Political Ideologies
• Conservatism (Domestic)
– Opposed to social and economic engineering such
as wealth redistribution and affirmative action
– Favor light regulation of business, low taxation,
traditional family structures, and school prayer
– Concern for victims of crimes over perpetrators
Political Ideologies
• Conservatism (Foreign Affairs)
– Support for military power
– Distrust of entanglements with international
organizations
Americans’ Shifting Ideology,
1992–2009
Political Knowledge
• Political Knowledge
– The more we know the more we can:
• integrate new knowledge into our interpretations
• understand what new data are important
– Most Americans have limited political knowledge
– Political knowledge leads to political efficacy
Shaping Public Opinion
• Three very powerful sources of influence over
public opinion:
– Political leaders
– Private groups
– The media
Shaping Public Opinion
• Political Leaders
– Presidential administrations have enormous
capacities to shape public opinion
• Stress certain issues and not others
• Influence how departments depict issues
Shaping Public Opinion
• Private Groups
– Many groups have a very wide reach into society,
especially churches
– Employ their specialists to deploy specific
knowledge effectively
– Feed the media and reach like-minded individuals
easily
Shaping Public Opinion
Shaping Public Opinion
• Media
– Very effective at telling
Americans what issues
are important
– Can frame what it
means for a politician to
be successful
– Can shape how people
understand the meaning
of a conflict
Measuring Public Opinion
• Polling
– Sample
• Probability sampling
• Random Digit Dialing
– Selection Bias
– Sample Size
– Margin of Error
• Survey Design
– Measurement Error
• Question Wording
• Push Polling
Sampling Techniques and Selection
Bias
Two Pollsters and Their Records
(1948–2008)
Two Pollsters and Their Records
(1948–2008) (cont’d)
Public Opinion and Democracy
• Why don’t leaders always follow public
opinion?
– How strongly do people hold opinions?
– The structure of American government
– Governing often involves compromise
Public Opinion Poll
Do you agree or disagree that the policies of the United
States government represent the preferences and
opinions of the American people?
a)
b)
c)
d)
Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
Public Opinion Poll
Some political leaders poll public opinion on a daily
basis while others place less emphasis on polling,
apparently believing they should follow their own
judgment rather than popular sentiment. Which of
these views do you believe is more appropriate in a
democracy?
a) Political leaders should primarily govern based on
the policy preferences of the public.
b) Political leaders should primarily govern based on
their own judgment.
Public Opinion Poll
Americans vary enormously in their knowledge about
government and politics, yet we treat all opinions
as having equal weight. Should everyone’s
political opinions be treated equally?
a) Yes
b) No
Public Opinion Poll
Do you believe the majority of your political opinions
are based on a full understanding of the issues?
a) Yes
b) No
Public Opinion Poll
Which of the following political values do you believe is
MOST important?
a) Equality of opportunity
b) Liberty
c) Democracy
Public Opinion Poll
Which of the following do you feel has had the greatest
influence on your political values?
a)
b)
c)
d)
Family
Social groups (racial, religious, national)
Education
Political conditions/experiences
Public Opinion Poll
Some commentators have pointed out that much of
America is “purple” rather than “red” or “blue.” To
what extent do you agree or disagree that the red
state/blue state stereotypes apply to your state?
a)
b)
c)
d)
Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Chapter 5: Public Opinion
• Quizzes
• Flashcards
• Outlines
• Exercises
wwnorton.com/we-the-people
Following this slide, you will find additional
images, figures, and tables from the textbook.
Understanding Public Opinion
Become a Savvy Consumer of Polls