CHAPTER 5
PUBLIC OPINION
WHAT IS PUBLIC OPINION
Collective view of a group of people.
 Tends to be uninformed, unstable and can
change rapidly.
 Americans do not spend a great deal of
time thinking about politics.
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What makes a good poll?
Random sampling
 Large sample size
 Front loaded questions.
 Stratified quota sample is the best.
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The way a question is asked can affect
the answers given.
Origins of Political Attitudes
There are many factors that affect your
political attitudes. They include:
 1) family
 2) religion
 3) gender
 4) schooling
 5) occupation
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Role of the Family
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Party identification of family is usually absorbed,
although the child becomes more independentthinking over time.
60% of children still follow parents- declining
from previous years.
Younger voters tend to be non-partisan; they
register independent.
Clear political ideologies are only passed on in
a few families.
Role of Religion
Families form and transmit political beliefs
through their religious traditions.
 Protestants tend to be more conservative.
 Jewish families tend to be more liberal.
 Christian Coalition- Republican affiliation,
was once very powerful grassroots
organization
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The Gender Gap
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The gender gap refers to the differences in
political opinion between men & women.
They have very different views on what they
deem as important.
This did not exist when women 1st voted, due
to the fact that they followed their husband’s
ideology/voting patterns.
Gender Gap Trends
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Men have become increasingly more
Republican since the 1960s.
Women have continued to support the
Democratic party at the same rate.
These trends exist due to attitudinal differences
between men & women about the size of
government, gun control, social programs & gay
marriage.
Gender gap is NOT unique to the United States.
Schooling & Information
College has a liberalizing effect, because
it teaches you to question authority.
 Professors in most colleges tend to be
more liberal in nature.
 A conservative movement has sprouted
on many campuses, but overall college
students tend to be more liberal.
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Cleavages in Public Opinion
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A cleavage causes a division amongst
ideological lines for citizens about certain
topics.
Examples include race, ethnicity, religion,
occupation, age, experience,social class, etc.
Some cleavages cause more passionate
responses from citizens.
You, as a citizen, must prioritize your cleavages
as they sometimes conflict. (called cross-cutting
cleavages).
Social Class
Social class has become much less of an
issue in the United States.
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The main reason is COLLEGE- the great
equalizer of the social classes.
Race and Ethnicity
Blacks tend to be more Democrat,
although many younger blacks are now
starting to identify themselves with the
Republican party (1 out of every 4).
 Mexicans tend to be Democrats.
 Cubans tend to be Republicans.
 Asians tend to be Republicans.
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Region
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Political views today are less regionally distinct
than they have ever been.
That being said, most states do have a fairly
consistent track record of voting for the same
party on a fairly consistent basis.
The South (specifically white southerners) have
been the group that has change most
dramatically in the last century.
Political Ideology
Definition- coherent and consistent set of
political beliefs about the proper purpose
and scope of government.
 Ideology is measured by how frequently
and consistent someone is over time with
their policy preferences.
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Liberalism and conservatism
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Early 1800s liberals supported personal and
economic freedom; conservatives wanted
power in the state, church and aristocracy.
FDR- New Deal- changed the meaning of
liberalism to mean support for an activist
government.
Conservatives (Goldwater)- favored free
market, states’ rights, & economic freedom.
Today’s meanings are less precise.
Mixing Liberals & Conservatives
Pure Liberals- Liberal on economic and
social issues (17% of population)
 Pure Conservative- conservative on
economic and social issues (28%)
 Libertarians- conservative on economic
issues, liberal on social issues (21%)
 Populists- liberal on economic issues,
conservative on social issues (24%)
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Political Elites
Definition- those who have a
disproportionate amount of some valued
resource. (better information).
 Political elites exist in all societies.
 Elites display greater ideological
consistency & tend to be more active.
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How Elites influence policy
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Elites influence public opinion in two ways:
1) Raise and frame issues.
2) State the norms by which to settle issues and
define policy options.
They struggle to define economic, crime, or
other issues rooted in personal experience.
Politicians tend to follow polling numbers on
these issues.
The “New Class”?
Definition- those who are advantaged by
power, resources, and growth of
government.
 Qualities include: postgraduate education,
urban, critical of business, liberal on
social issues. Usually Democrat.
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