Forming Political Opinions 10.4 Forming Political Opinions Demographic Characteristics Family, Peers, and School The Mass Media Cues from Leaders or Opinion Makers Political Knowledge The first step in forming opinions occurs through a process known as political socialization. Demographic characteristics—including gender, race, ethnicity, age, and religion—as well as family, school, and peers, all affect how we view political events and issues. The views of other people, the media, and cues from leaders and opinion makers also influence our ultimate opinions about political matters.

Demographic Characteristics 10.4 Demographic Characteristics Gender Women historically more liberal than men Race and Ethnicity Differences among and within races and ethnicities Age Religion The process through which people acquire their beliefs and political values is called political socialization, and demographics can play a key role. Gender is significant; historically, women have been more liberal than men. Women are more likely to have positive views of educational or environmental programs and negative views toward war and military intervention. The views of African Americans and Hispanics on a variety of issues are often quite different from those of whites, particularly when it comes to the environment and health care. Older people support programs like Medicare, while younger voters tend to resist higher taxes to pay for it. Conversely, older people tend to resist increases in taxes to pay for schools. And religion is unquestionably a factor in political view formation, especially on hot-button social issues like abortion rights.

10.4 TABLE 10.1 Do men and women think differently about political issues? This table breaks down how men and women tend to think about certain political issues. Source: Pew Research Center, 2012 American Values Survey, www.people-press.org/values-questions.

Family, Peers, and School 10.4 Family, Peers, and School Family influence Children learn political beliefs at an early age. Peers are influential in middle or high school Political socialization in school Young children begin absorbing political views from their parents at an early age. As they grow into their elementary and middle school years, children become more influenced by their peers. Groups such as the Girl Scouts of America recognize the power of peers and have developed programs to give girls a favorable view of politics. Schools also play a significant role in political socialization. Public school students may start the day with the Pledge of Allegiance. In college, students are taught critical thinking skills to help them hone their political views. Activity: Ask your students to consider the role of schools as agents of political socialization. Have them identify the numerous ways in which schools socialize children politically. Examples might include the pledge of allegiance, education about our political system, the inculcation of patriotism and nationalism, and so on.

How do you encourage young women to think about careers in politics? 10.4 Researchers find that women are more reluctant than similarly qualified men to think about running for office. In an effort to change this norm, the Girl Scouts of America offers a Ms. President badge for social action. Farheen Hakeem, shown right, leads a Girl Scout troop in Minneapolis. Allen Brisson-Smith/The New York Times/Redux Pictures

10.4 FIGURE 10.3 What are the ideological identifications of first-year college students? Nearly a majority of first-year college students describe themselves as middle of the road. The percentage of students identifying as conservative or liberal has remained relatively consistent since the 1990s. Liberal and far left students make up slightly higher proportions of first-year students than do conservatives. Sources: Cooperative Institutional Research Program at UCLA, http://www.heri.ucla.edu/monographs/ TheAmericanFreshman2013.pdf. 6

The Mass Media 10.4 Traditional news sources Americans are turning away from them. Non-traditional news media TV talk shows Talk radio Online magazines Blogs Cable and Internet Often skewed Instead of using news broadcasts on the major networks and daily newspapers as the major source of information, Americans are turning to TV talk shows, talk radio, online magazines, and blogs. Cable and Internet news sources are often skewed. According to one study, Americans who get most of their news from cable news outlets such as MSNBC and Fox News are less knowledgeable about political issues than people who don't pay attention to political news.

Cues from Leaders or Opinion Makers 10.4 Cues from Leaders or Opinion Makers Political leaders use media to influence public. President uses media as a “bully pulpit.” Political leaders use the media to influence the political views of Americans. One of the reasons Americans may be swayed with relatively little effort is the general lack of deep conviction with which most Americans hold many of their political beliefs. And though the president may not be the influencer-in-chief, he can be very persuasive on political matters by using his "bully pulpit."

10.4 Political Knowledge Political knowledge and political participation Have a reciprocal effect on each other Americans' level of civic knowledge Lower than 50 years ago Gender gap Also affected by education, number of children, and marital status Political knowledge and political participation go hand in hand. Without knowledge about the political system, people can't effectively participate. The more they participate, the greater their understanding about public affairs. Most Americans have a low level of civic knowledge—lower, in fact, than it was 50 years ago. How do you respond to college students today knowing less about civics than high school students did 50 years ago? Americans know even less about foreign policy and geography. And there's a gender gap. Women know less than men about politics, unless the issues are of special interest to women. Political knowledge is also affected by factors such as education, number of children, and marital status.

10.4 TABLE 10.2 What is the extent of Americans' political knowledge? This table notes the percentage of Americans who can't identify the majority party in the House of Representatives, the Speaker of the House, the British Prime Minister, a photo of Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, or Israel on a map. Sources: Pew Research Center, "What the Public Knows," (November 7, 2011): www.people-press.org/2011/11/07/what-the-public-knows-in-words-and-pictures/?src=iq-quiz. Activity: Public opinion surveys consistently reveal an astounding lack of public knowledge about politics. Ask your students to discuss whether the American political system is affected by such a low level of public information.

10.4 10.4 The process by which individuals develop their political views is called what? Communication and receptivity Public education Political socialization Civic knowledge Can you answer this review question about where people's political views come from?

10.4 10.4 The process by which individuals develop their political views is called what? Communication and receptivity Public education Political socialization Civic knowledge Political socialization is the development of one's political views and values. It begins at home with parents and continues in school. Parental influence begins to wane when peer pressure increases in middle school and high school.

Toward Reform: The Effects of Public Opinion on Politics 10.5 Toward Reform: The Effects of Public Opinion on Politics The public has become more of a critical player in national and international politics. Polling a key part of that involvement. Politicians pay close attention to public opinion. They tailor their campaigns or drive policy decisions based on what they know about the public's views. This makes the public much more of a critical player in national and international policy. Focus on public opinion is due in part to the rise in the number of polls being conducted, analyzed, and reported. Political scientists say this shows how the public's views, registered through public opinion polls, can affect policy.

10.5 10.5 The influence of public opinion in politics has increased over the past 30 years due largely to what? The increase in Americans' civic knowledge The increase in alternative political news sources The increase in the number of polls The decrease in traditional mass media We've discussed the influence of public opinion in the U.S. Now answer this review question on the subject.

10.5 10.5 The influence of public opinion in politics has increased over the past 30 years due largely to what? The increase in Americans' civic knowledge The increase in alternative political news sources The increase in the number of polls The decrease in traditional mass media Political scientists attribute the rise in influence of public opinion to the increase in the number of polls.

10 Discussion Questions What role do polls play in policy making? Should public opinion be considered when the government makes policy decisions? How much influence should public opinion have?

10 Further Review Listen to the Chapter Study and Review the Flashcards Study and Review the Practice Tests