Do Now
If you were to take a poll of V.C. students, what
do you think would be the overall opinion of:
• School Lunch (Does it need improvement,
why/why not?
• I.S.S. (Does it work?)
• School Activities (Are they sufficient, in need of
improvement?)
• School Policies: (Sufficient? Need more? Less?)
Do Now: Forming Public Opinion
• Newspapers and television broadcasters often talk about
public opinion. They may say, “Public opinion polls show
great support for the war in Iraq.” Or they may say,
“According to public opinion, stem cell research should
be opened to new cell sources.” Public opinion refers to
the general attitudes, beliefs, and ideas of a large
number of people in our society about politics and other
matters. Public opinion is shaped by many different
factors.
Answer the following about public opinion.
• 1. List at least four factors or forces that influence a
person’s opinion.
• 2. Which force is the most influential? Explain your
answer in two or three sentences
Measuring Public
Opinion
When does your opinion become
public opinion?
Private opinion
becomes public
opinion
when you go to the
polls or speak out on a
radio show, write a
letter to the editor, etc.
The BIG Idea
Several Factors, including family, and education help
to shape a person’s opinions about public affairs.
The family is the first political socialization
experience.
How is public opinion measured?
Election
results
Personal
contacts
Polls
Media
reports
What kinds of Polls are there?
Surveys; subject
to bias by those
that create and
interpret
questions
Straw Poll; mail
survey that asks
a large number
of people the
same question
Telephone Polls:
no way to
ensure opinions
expressed are
represented by
population being
studied
Types
of Polls
Biased Sample: did not accurately represent the population
What kind of information do polls gather?
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•
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•
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What are the wants and wishes of the public?
What are the people thinking about?
What is troubling the public?
What are the opinions of people on current problems?
How informed are people about current issues?
What are the voting habits of people, in general, and of
special groups within the population?
What are the differences of opinion among people in
various geographic areas in the country, political groups,
groups representing different social and economic levels?
What is sampling?
Sampling: a group of people
who are typical of that general
population
Biased Sample:
did not
accurately
represent the
population
Random Sampling:
every person in the
population has an
equal chance of
being chosen
(most reliable)
Quota Sample:
chooses certain
common
characteristics
(least reliable)
Straw Votes –
asking the
same
question to
many people
What kinds of polls exist?
• The Gallup Poll: Gallup has studied human
nature and behavior for more than 70 years.
• The Marist Poll: Founded in 1978, the Marist
Institute for Public Opinion (MIPO) is a survey
research center at Marist College.
What are the steps in Scientific
Polling?
• Government leaders make policy based on public
opinion
• Winning party and candidate often claim to have a
mandate (responsibility to constituency)
• Election results indicate public opinion – however
Interest Groups often shape public policy
• Interest Groups: private organizations that work
to influence and inform candidates of their views.
• Scientific polls use the “universe” (population the
poll means to measure).
What are some problems
with polls?
People
that
support
Polls:
tools of
Democracy
People that
criticize Polls:
makes
politicians
reactors
rather than
leaders and
discourages
voter from
voting
Frequent complaints about Polls
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Wording of the questions can effect response
Reduce complex issues to a yes or no answer
Public Opinion misused: candidates can create it
Sampling Errors: difference between what
sampling result show and the true results if
everybody was polled
• Answers given may not be reliable
• Can’t reflect rapid shifts on Public Opinions
unless polls are taken often
Summary
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What is public opinion?
How is it measured?
What types of polls are there?
To what extent does the media impact public
opinion?
What is the role of the Mass Media in Politics?
• Medium: a means of communication
• There are four (4) major mass media in
American politics
• The mass media plays a large part in setting
the Public Agenda – the public issues people
talk about
• Sound Bites: focused snappy statements that
can be aired in 35 to 45 seconds. Photo Ops.
What tv network is more conservative?
What tv network is more liberal?
What about newspapers?