Political Socialization

Political socialization – The process through which an individual acquires his or her particular political orientations, including his or her knowledge, feelings, and evaluations regarding his or her political world. I. factors that influence political socialization:

A) Family: The family is probably the most important source of political socialization. About sixty percent of adults adopt the party preference of their parents. The party identification most often transferred from parent to child is Democrat.

If a child differs from their parents’ party identification that child is most likely to hold no party affiliation and vote independent. This trend has grown in recent years as family partisan identification has declined.

B) Government: The most obvious intrusion of the government into America’s socialization is through schooling.

Both authoritarian and democratic political systems seek to teach citizens, especially youth, the positive aspects of their political systems because youth will then grow up to be supportive citizens.

C) Media: Some observers have stated that “the new parent” in the socialization process has become the mass media.

As one becomes more socialized with age, one’s political orientations grow firmer. One of the effects of growing older, on political learning and political behavior. is that political participation increases with age.

In general liberal ideology in American politics supports: Carefully safe-guarding the rights of defendants in criminal cases. A strong central government that sets policies to promote equality. Increased government spending to support disadvantaged groups. Decrease foreign aid. Abortion rights.

In general conservative ideology in American politics supports: Free market solutions to problems rather than looking to the government for regulating business. Support lower taxation. Greater defense spending. Support lower government spending. Support school prayer.

Compared to men, women are more likely to oppose higher levels of military spending, but support gun control. So woman have been more likely vote for Democrats II. Groups with predictable political ideologies A) Gender:

One issue where men and women most closely agree has been legal abortion.

Studies show that single women were more likely to vote for Democratic candidates, and married voters more likely to support Republicans.

B) Religion: White Protestants are more conservative on economic matters (minimum wage and taxes) than Catholics and Jews.

Jews tend to be the most liberal of religious groups. They are more liberal on both economic and social issues than are Catholics or Protestants.

Catholics tend to be more liberal on economic issues than they are on social issues.

Fundamentalist Christians tend to be the most conservative of any religious group. They are more strongly conservative on social issues (abortion, civil right for minorities, women’s rights), than on economic issues (govt. services, job guarantees.)

Churchgoers are more likely to vote for Republicans, and non-churchgoers are more likely to support Democrats. Another factor that affects a religious person’s political orientation is their experience as an immigrant.

C) College Educated: – College education influences white voters to have more liberal political points of view. – This is due to: Personal traits of those who go to college. Exposer of college students to more information about the world. Liberalism of many college professors.

D) Income Level: The higher the income level, the more conservative the person and the more likelihood of voting. However, African Americans and Hispanic Americans are more likely to vote than whites of the same income level. The reason is because minorities have a group consciousness that gives them an extra incentive to vote.

E) Race and Ethnicity: African Americans – tend to identify with the Democratic Party and are still the most consistently liberal group within the party. – One issue that divides blacks and whites in Democratic Party is affirmative action.

Hispanic American – tend to be more liberal, with tendencies towards the Democratic Party. The 2000 census indicated that this is largest minority population.

Asian American – tend to be more conservative than black or Hispanic Americans, are more similar to white voters. –Approximately 49% of Asian Americans hold one or more college degrees. –Unlike Hispanics who have come to America to escape poverty, the recent influx of Asians has been driven by a new class of professionals looking for greater opportunity.

F) Regional Culture: Coastal regions tend to be more liberal, than the middle of the country.

The “rust belt” of the Great Lakes region, with its strong history of unions, tends to vote Democratic.

The Southeast – voted solid Democrat up till the 1960s. Since the 1980s more southern voters have been Republican (but both parties rule in this region.) Historically, no candidate has won the presidency without carrying at least one Southern state. Although Americans from the South don’t agree their friends in the North, when compared to northern voters, southern voters agree with increasing social security.

III. Political Ideology: Political ideology – is a coherent and consistent set of beliefs about who should rule and how. – Liberal – Conservative

A) Classification of voters; Ideologues – 12% of Americans connect their opinions and beliefs to policy positions by candidates and parties. The tend to be the most politically active.

Group benefits voters – 42% of Americans vote for parties based on which one they think would benefit them or their group.

Nature of the times voters (24%) When people vote according to the nature of the times they are more interested in results than ideology and judge presidents by results.

No Issue content – 22% of Americans can give no issue- based or ideological reasons for voting for a party or a candidate.