Public Opinion and Its Definition

Public Opinion and Its Definition
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In Chapter 7, Part 1 of the book, "Public Opinion," the author discusses what public opinion is and how it can be defined. Public opinion refers to how people think or feel about

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Slide1Public Opinion Public  Opinion Chapter  7  Part  1 Chapter  7  Part  1

Slide2I.What  is  public  opinion? I. What  is  public  opinion? A. How  people  think  or  feel  about particular  things A. How  people  think  or  feel  about particular  things B. People  do  not  spend  a  great  deal  of time  thinking  about  politics;  results: B. People  do  not  spend  a  great  deal  of time  thinking  about  politics;  results: 1.   High  levels  of  public  ignorance:  e.g., Monetary  Control  Bill  ruse 1.   High  levels  of  public  ignorance:  e.g., Monetary  Control  Bill  ruse 2.   Despite  being  poorly  informed, citizens  are  quite  good  at  using  cues (limited  information)  to  figure  out  what candidates/positions  reflect  their values  or  interests 2.   Despite  being  poorly  informed, citizens  are  quite  good  at  using  cues (limited  information)  to  figure  out  what candidates/positions  reflect  their values  or  interests 3.   Public  opinion  less  fickle  than previously  thought 3.   Public  opinion  less  fickle  than previously  thought

Slide3C.How  polling  works  (THEME  A:  PUBLIC  OPINION POLLING) C. How  polling  works  (THEME  A:  PUBLIC  OPINION POLLING) 1. Need  to  pose  reasonable  questions  that  are worded  fairly 1. Need  to  pose  reasonable  questions  that  are worded  fairly 2. Have  to  ask  people  about  things  for  which  they have  some  basis  to  form  an  opinion 2. Have  to  ask  people  about  things  for  which  they have  some  basis  to  form  an  opinion 3. Random  sampling  is  necessary  to  ensure  a reasonably  accurate  measure  of  how  the  entire population  thinks  or  feels 3. Random  sampling  is  necessary  to  ensure  a reasonably  accurate  measure  of  how  the  entire population  thinks  or  feels 4. Sampling  error  reflects  the  difference  between the  results  of  two  surveys  or  samples 4. Sampling  error  reflects  the  difference  between the  results  of  two  surveys  or  samples 5. Exit  polls  (interviews  with  randomly  selected voters  conducted  at  polling  places  on  election  day) have  proven  quite  accurate 5. Exit  polls  (interviews  with  randomly  selected voters  conducted  at  polling  places  on  election  day) have  proven  quite  accurate

Slide46.  Polling  specifics 6.   Polling  specifics a)   For  populations  over  500,000, pollsters  need  to  make  about  15,000 phone  calls  to  reach  1,065  respondents, ensuring  the  poll  has  a  sampling  error  of only  +/-  3% a)   For  populations  over  500,000, pollsters  need  to  make  about  15,000 phone  calls  to  reach  1,065  respondents, ensuring  the  poll  has  a  sampling  error  of only  +/-  3% 7.   Is  increasingly  difficult  to  get  this number  to  do  because  of  call-screening 7.   Is  increasingly  difficult  to  get  this number  to  do  because  of  call-screening 8.   Low  response  rates  harm  reliability 8.   Low  response  rates  harm  reliability D.   How  opinions  differ D.   How  opinions  differ 1.   Opinion  saliency:  some  people  care  more about  certain  issues  than  other  people  do 1.   Opinion  saliency:  some  people  care  more about  certain  issues  than  other  people  do

Slide52.Opinion  stability:  the  steadiness  or  volatility  of opinion  on  an  issue 2. Opinion  stability:  the  steadiness  or  volatility  of opinion  on  an  issue 3. Opinion-policy  congruence:  the  level  of correspondence  between  government  action  and majority  sentiment  on  an  issue 3. Opinion-policy  congruence:  the  level  of correspondence  between  government  action  and majority  sentiment  on  an  issue 4. Political  socialization:  the  process  by  which personal  and  other  background  traits  influence one’s  views  about  politics  and  government 4. Political  socialization:  the  process  by  which personal  and  other  background  traits  influence one’s  views  about  politics  and  government a)   Children  tend  to  share  parents’  political orientations a)   Children  tend  to  share  parents’  political orientations b)   Opinion  seems  to  vary  in  ways  associated with  class,  race,  religion,  gender  and  other characteristics b)   Opinion  seems  to  vary  in  ways  associated with  class,  race,  religion,  gender  and  other characteristics c)   But  people  with  similar  family  histories, religious  affiliations,  formal  educations,  and  job experiences  do  not  think  or  vote  exactly  the same  way c)   But  people  with  similar  family  histories, religious  affiliations,  formal  educations,  and  job experiences  do  not  think  or  vote  exactly  the same  way

Slide65.  Mass  and  elite  opinions  differ 5.   Mass  and  elite  opinions  differ a)   Elites  know  more  about  politics a)   Elites  know  more  about  politics b)   Elites  are  more  likely  to  hold  a consistent  set  of  opinions  about  the policies  government  ought  to  pursue b)   Elites  are  more  likely  to  hold  a consistent  set  of  opinions  about  the policies  government  ought  to  pursue    

Slide7II.  Political  Socialization;  The  Family II.   Political  Socialization;  The  Family A.   The  role  of  family A.   The  role  of  family 1.   Party  identification  of  family  absorbed, although  the  child  becomes  more independent  thinking,  with  time 1.   Party  identification  of  family  absorbed, although  the  child  becomes  more independent  thinking,  with  time 2.   In  recent  years,  there  has  been  a declining  ability  to  pass  on  party identification 2.   In  recent  years,  there  has  been  a declining  ability  to  pass  on  party identification 3.   Younger  voters  exhibit  less  partisanship; they  are  more  likely  to  be  independent 3.   Younger  voters  exhibit  less  partisanship; they  are  more  likely  to  be  independent 4.   Meaning  of  the  partisanship  that  children acquire  from  their  parents  is  unclear; children  are  less  influenced  by  parents  in regard  to  policy  preferences 4.   Meaning  of  the  partisanship  that  children acquire  from  their  parents  is  unclear; children  are  less  influenced  by  parents  in regard  to  policy  preferences 5.   Clear  political  ideologies  are  passed  on  in only  a  few  families 5.   Clear  political  ideologies  are  passed  on  in only  a  few  families More  on  7  next  time. More  on  7  next  time.