Political Socialization And the Factors that Influence

Family Value of the Dinner Table 9% of high school seniors identify with a different party than their parents 71% identify with the party of their parents

Family By the fifth grade more than half of school children identify with one party or the other 60% of adults still maintain the party identification of their parents

How does the family contribute to Political Socialization? Religion Religious differences shape political differences Religion affects social issues more so than others Eg. – abortion, gay marriage

How does the family contribute to Political Socialization? Schooling, Education, Information More schooling used to mean more political participation Colleges used to make people more liberal These ideas do not hold true anymore, WHY?

How does the family contribute to Political Socialization? Gender Gender Gap – differences in political beliefs between men and women Generally men favor the (R) party and women favor the (D) party Married women favor the (R) party more than their unmarried counterparts

Cleavages in Public Opinion

Cleavages in Public Opinion Social Class – How can we define this? Income, occupation, wealth, schooling, prestige, personality Does social class have a huge influence on voting and public opinion? Is it easy to define? Why or Why not?

Cleavages in Public Opinion Race and Ethnicity Much clearer differences than with social class White and Black people feel differently on a number of issues

Cleavages in Public Opinion Region Does public opinion differ by region? North vs. South South is more accommodating to big business North East is more accommodating to labor unions White southerners are more conservative than white northerners