1. Chapter 7
Public Opinion and Political Action

2. Public Opinion and Political Action
Chapter 4- Political Culture
Political Culture
Meritocracy
Civic Duty
Class Consciousness
Orthodox
Progressive
Five American Political
Values
Chapter 8- Political Participation
Political Participation
VAP
VEP
Literacy Test
Poll Tax
Grandfather Clause
White Primary
Australian Ballot
Chapter 7- Public Opinion
Public Opinion
Exit Poll
Minority Majority
Political Ideology
Political Participation
Political Socialization
Public opinion
Random Sampling
Sampling Error
Elite
Political Elite

3. 2012 Election Participation
82% watched the campaign on television
57.5% voted in the election (126 mill/240 mill)
34% tried to influence others how to vote
10% put a sticker on their car
9% gave money to help a campaign
5% attended a political meeting
3% worked for a party or candidate

4. Voter turnout was at a 20 year low in the 2016 Election

12. 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

13. 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)
Will the current wave of refuges from the Middle Eastern countries be a 4th wave?

14. The American People The American Melting Pot
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.

15. The American People

16. The American People The American Melting Pot (continued)
African Americans face a legacy of racism.
Hispanics are the largest minority group faced with the problem of illegal immigration.
Simpson-Mazzoli Act: requires employers document citizenship of employee
Asian immigration has been driven by a new class of professional workers.
Native Americans: indigenous and disadvantaged

17. 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

18. How Americans Learn About Politics
Political Socialization:
“the process through which an individual acquires [their] particular political orientation”
Orientation grows firmer with age

19. Agencies of Socialization
Public Opinion
Agencies of Socialization
- Family
- Social Groups
- Education
- Political Conditions
- Media

20. How Americans Learn About Politics
The Process of Political Socialization (continued)
The Family
Political leanings of children often mirror their parents’ leanings
The Mass Media
Chief 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.

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

22. Is there a “Gender Gap” in US Politics?

26. Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information
The Role of Polls in American Democracy
Polls help politicians detect public preferences.
But critics say polls make politicians think more about following than leading public
Even though politicians do not track opinion to make policy
Question wording may affect survey results
Short Video about reliability of polls

27. 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
(usually measured in + or – numbers)

29. Who is Better? VS

30. Who is the worst of the worst
Who is the worst of the worst? 1) The Biebs 2) Miley Cyrus 3) They suck equally as bad

31. What’s wrong with these poll questions?
How would you rate the career of legendary Yankee Shortstop Derek Jeter?
Should the government force you to pay higher taxes?
What is your age?
a. 0–10
b. 10–20
c. 20–30
d. 30–40
40+
What is your race?
What are your religious beliefs?
What are your political beliefs?
What is your annual household income?
These all have the same issue.

32. 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 somewhat after September 11, 2001
But the last 2 election cycles it has declined again

33. 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

34. 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 in US
Currently about 38% conservative, 24% liberal, 38% moderate
Gender gap: women tend to be less conservative than men
Ideological variation by religion too

35. What Americans Value: Political Ideologies

36. 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

37. 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.

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