3. BMI Alternative = BAI

4. Public Opinion And Political Action
Ch 6
Public Opinion
And Political Action
(From a variety of “non-Edwardian” sources)

5. Political Socialization
The way people acquire their political values.
Family members.
School and peers.
Media, especially television.
Religion.
Demographics: race, ethnicity, gender, age, and region.
Outside events.

6. Shortcomings of Polling
Must consider margin of error.
May make errors in selecting the sample.
Polls limit respondents’ options.
People may not have enough information to answer.
Measures of intensity may be imprecise.

7. Effects of Public Opinion
May influence the course of public policy.
Some critics argue this weakens democracy.
Creation of bandwagon and underdog effects.

8. Figure 11.1- First-Year Student Ideology
Back

9. Figure 11.2- Religious Self-Identification
Back

10. Figure 11.3- Views on Hurricane Katrina
Back

11. Figure 11.4- The Gallup Poll
Back

12. Figure 11.5- Opinion on Gas Taxes
Back

13. Figure 11.6- Random Digit Dialing
Back

14. Figure 11.7- Daily Tracking Poll
Back

16. Figure 11.8- Public Opinion on Iraq
Back

17. Table 11.1- Gender Differences
Back

18. Table 11.2- Political Knowledge
Back

19. AMERICAN POLITICAL CULTURE THEME A UNIQUE AMERICAN QUALITIES
TOCQUEVILLE’S
DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA
NO ARISTOCRACY
WESTWARD MOVEMENT
NATION OF SMALL
& INDEPENDENT FARMERS
11/10/2018
AP - Ch 4 - US POL CULTURE

20. Alexis de Tocqueville TRAVEL IN THE U. S
Alexis de Tocqueville TRAVEL IN THE U.S. IN DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA PUBLISHED VOL PUBLISHED VOL
11/10/2018
AP - Ch 4 - US POL CULTURE

21. IMPORTANT CULTURAL ELEMENTS
LIBERTY
EQUALITY
DEMOCRACY
CIVIC DUTY
INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY
11/10/2018
AP - Ch 4 - US POL CULTURE

22. WHY DOES AMERICAN DEMOCRACY WORK ?
CONSENSUS VIEW
(LOUIS HARTZ)
AMERICANS SHARE THE
SAME BASIC VALUES
CONFLICT VIEW
(VERNON PARRINGTON)
DIFFERENT MAJOR VIEWS
(LIB. Vs CONS.)
11/10/2018
AP - Ch 4 - US POL CULTURE

23. ECONOMIC BELIEFS SUPPORT OF FREE ENTERPRISE (CAPITALISM)
…WITH GOV’T REGULATION
(SOCIALISM)
EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY
11/10/2018
AP - Ch 4 - US POL CULTURE

25. WHAT SHOULD DETERMINE WHO GETS INTO A COLLEGE ?

26. WHO SHOULD DETERMINE WHO GETS INTO A COLLEGE ?

27. WHO WILL YOU ACCEPT INTO . . .
BROWN
UNIVERSITY

28. WILMA ?? 3.5 GPA 25 ACT SCORE 5 AP COURSES 10 HONOR COURSES
2 SPORTS (4 YEARS EACH)
5 CLUBS (3 FOR 4 YEARS, 2 FOR 3 YEARS)

29. ADALAI ?? 3.1 GPA 22 ACT SCORE 0 AP COURSES 2 HONOR COURSES
2 SPORTS (2 YEARS EACH)
5 CLUBS (5 FOR 4 YEARS)

30. WILMA ADALAI 3.5 GPA 3.1 25 ACT SCORE 22 5 AP COURSES 0
HONOR COURSES 2
SPORTS 2
CLUBS

31. WILMA ADALAI W / SCHOOL A / SCHOOL 3.5/3.8 GPA 3.1/1.5
25/29 ACT SCORE 22/12
5/15 AP COURSES 0/0
10/ HONOR COURSES 2/2
2/ SPORTS /3*
5/ CLUBS 5/5
* No extra-curricular activities
for 2 years (Levy Failed)

32. TEXAS STATE SCHOLARSHIP PLAN (2005)
TOP 10 % OF CLASS
FREE TUITION
TO STATE SCHOOLS

33. 2008 = 3 BILLS TO CHANGE LAW
UNFAIR TO STUDENTS
IN “GOOD” SCHOOLS
CHANGING SCHOOLS
DURING SENIOR YEAR
MORE INFORMATION
THAN CLASS RANK NEEDED

34. OGT INFO… BEST INDICATOR OF DISTRICT SUCCESS 1- COMMUNITY INCOME
2- % WITH COLLEGE DEGREES

35. SOCIOLOGICAL FACTORS PURITAN HERITAGE FOLLOW LAWS, WORK HARD
LACK OF CLASS CONSCIOUSNESS
MOST SEEN AS MIDDLE CLASS
11/10/2018
AP - Ch 4 - US POL CULTURE

36. THE CULTURE WAR ORTHODOX GOD’S MORALITY FIXED MOST IMPORTANT
PROGRESSIVE
GUIDELINES CHANGE
ACCORDING TO SITUATION
PERSONAL FREEDOM
11/10/2018
AP - Ch 4 - US POL CULTURE

38. “ THE CREDIBILITY GAP ” MISTRUST OF GOVERNMENT
INCREASING SINCE THE 1960’S
INTERNAL EFFICACY
SAME SINCE THE 1950’S
EXTERNAL EFFICACY
DECLINING SINCE THE 1960’S
11/10/2018
AP - Ch 4 - US POL CULTURE

42. TAKE
OUT A
PIECE OF
PAPER &
WRITE
THE
NATION
& THE
MATCHING
NUMBER

45. Public Opinion and Political Action
Edwards, Wattenberg, and Lineberry
Government in America: People, Politics, and Policy
Fourteenth Edition
Chapter 6
Public Opinion and Political Action

46. Introduction Public Opinion Demography Census
The distribution of the population’s beliefs about politics and policy issues
Demography
The science of population changes
Census
A valuable tool for understanding population changes
Required every 10 years by the Constitution

47. The American People The Immigrant Society
United States is a nation of immigrants.
Three waves of immigration:
Northwestern Europeans (prior to late 19th Century)
Southern and eastern Europeans (late 19th and early 20th centuries)
Hispanics and Asians (late 20th century)

48. The American People
Melting Pot: the mixing of cultures, ideas, and peoples that has changed the American nation
Minority Majority: the emergence of a non-Caucasian majority
Political culture is an overall set of values widely shared within a society.
“Melting Pot” or “Tossed Salad”

49. SHOULD WE BE A “MELTING POT”?
A NATION OF IMMIGRANTS
SHOULD WE BE A “MELTING POT”?
OR A
SALAD BOWL?

50. The American People

51. The American People The Regional Shift
Population shift from east to west
Reapportionment: the process of reallocating seats in the House of Representatives every 10 years on the basis of the results of the census

52. The American People The Graying of America
Fastest growing age group is over 65
Potential drain on Social Security
Pay as you go system
In 1942, 42 workers per retiree
In 2040, 2 workers per retiree

53. How Americans Learn About Politics: Political Socialization
“the process through which and individual acquires [their] particular political orientation”
Orientation grows firmer with age
The Process of Political Socialization
The Family: Political leanings of children often mirror their parents’ leanings

54. How Americans Learn About Politics: Political Socialization

55. How Americans Learn About Politics: Political Socialization
The Process of Political Socialization
The Mass Media
Source of information as children age
Generation gap is viewing television news
School
Used by government to socialize young into political culture
Better-educated citizens are more likely to vote and are more knowledgeable about politics and policy.

56. How American Learn About Politics: Political Socialization
Political Learning Over a Lifetime
Aging increases political participation and strength of party attachment.

57. Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information
How Polls Are Conducted
Sample: a small proportion of people who are chosen in a survey to be representative of the whole
Random Sampling: the key technique employed by sophisticated survey researchers which operates on the principle that everyone should have an equal probability of being selected for the sample
Sampling Error: the level of confidence in the findings of a public opinion poll

58. Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information
The Role of Polls in American Democracy
Polls help politicians detect public preferences.
Do polls make politicians followers ?
Various studies
Politicians do not track opinion to make policy
Question wording may affect survey results

59. Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information
The Role of Polls in American Democracy
Polls may distort election process
Exit Polls
used by the media to predict election day winners
May discourage people from voting
2000 presidential election in Florida

60. Start Thursday

61. Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information
What Polls Reveal About Americans’ Political Information
Americans don’t know much about politics.
Americans may know their basic beliefs…
but not how that affects policies of the government.
The Decline of Trust in Government
Since 1964, trust in government has declined.
Trust in government went up after September 11.
Then has declined.

62. Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information

63. What Americans Value: Political Ideologies
Political Ideology:
A coherent set of beliefs about politics, public policy, and public purpose
Who Are the Liberals and Conservatives?
Predominance of conservative over liberal thinking
38% conservative
24% liberal
38% moderate
Gender gap: women tend to be less conservative than men
Ideological variation by religion too

64. What Americans Value: Political Ideologies

65. What Americans Value: Political Ideologies
Do People Think in Ideological Terms?
Ideologues:
think in ideological terms
Group Benefits voters:
view politics through party or group label
Nature of the Times: view of politics based on whether times are good or bad
No issue content:
vote routinely for party or personality

66. How Americans Participate in Politics
Political Participation: all the activities used by citizens to influence the selection of political leaders or the policies they pursue
Conventional Participation
Voting in elections
Working in campaigns or running for office
Contacting elected officials

67. How Americans Participate in Politics
Protest as Participation
Protest: a form of political participation designed to achieve policy changes through dramatic and unconventional tactics
Civil disobedience: a form of political participation that reflects a conscious decision to break a law believed to be immoral and to suffer the consequences

68. Class and Participation

69. Understanding Public Opinion and Political Action
Public Attitudes Toward the Scope of Government
Many people have no opinion about scope of government.
Public opinion is inconsistent, which may lead to policy gridlock.
Democracy, Public Opinion, and Political Action
Americans select leaders, but do they do so wisely?
If people know little about candidates’ issues, how can they?
People vote more for performance than policy.

70. Summary American society is ethnically diverse and changing.
Knowing public opinion is important to a democracy, polling has costs and benefits.
Americans know little about politics.
Political participation is generally low.