文档介绍：Chapter 6
Public Opinion, Political Socialization and the Media
Defining Public Opinion
Public Opinion – the aggregate of individual attitudes or beliefs shared by some portion of the adult population
Consensus opinions – when there is general agreement among the citizenry on an issue
Divisive opinions – when public opinion is polarized between two quite different positions
Figure 6-1: Consensus Opinion
QUESTION: Do you approve or disapprove of the way e W. Bush handled his job as president in the first few weeks after the September 11 terrorist attacks?
SOURCE: The Gallup Poll, January 23-25, 2003
Figure 6-2: Divisive Opinion
QUESTION: Do you approve or disapprove of the way e W. Bush has handled his job as president over the past few weeks?
SOURCE: The Gallup Poll, January 23-25, 2003
Aspects of Polling Techniques
simple random sample – each member of the population has an equal chance of being selected for the sample
quota sample – a less accurate technique wherein anizations predetermine the characteristics of the needed sample, and then find respondents with those characteristics to fill the slots
sampling error – the difference between a sample’s results and the result if the entire population had been interviewed
Political Socialization
Defined as the process by which individuals acquire political beliefs and attitudes
How are Americans socialized?
Family
Education
Peers
Religion
Economic Status
Political Events
Opinion Leaders
Media
Demographics
Gender Gap
Party Identification from Parent to Child
Democrat
Independent
Republican
Both Parents Democrats
59%
29%
13%
Both Parents Independents
17%
67%
16%
Both Parents Republicans
12%
29%
59%
Children generally follow in their parents’ footsteps when es to political party identification.
SOURCE: 1992 National Election Study Center for Political Studies, University of Michigan
Table 6-1: Trends in Political Trust
QUESTION: How much of the time do you think you can trust the g