Feldman 2013

Mie Kim and Garrett 2012

Leeper and Slothuus 2014

Comparative Public Opinion

Notes 3

23 January 2017

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Mie Kim and Garrett 2012
Leeper and Slothuus 2014

Ideology as a Concept

The ways in which people organize their political attitudes

and beliefs
“ A set of beliefs about the proper order of society and how it
can be achieved” (p. 64, Erikson & Tedin 2003)
“Ideology refers indiscriminately to any belief system, that is,
to any ‘configuration of ideas and attitudes in which the
elements are bound together by some form of constraint or
functional interdependence’” (p. 320, Jost et al 2009, quoting
Converse)

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Mie Kim and Garrett 2012
Leeper and Slothuus 2014

Ideology as a Concept

Challenges
Conceptual stretching
Levels of analysis
Innocent of ideology—low levels of political knowledge
Non-attitudes. Some have stable attitudes, but others respond
at random
Measurement error
Zaller 1992: Respond to questions by searching memories for
“considerations” relevant to the policy. Probabalistic memory
search and accessibility.
Use scales
Values (“Underpinnings of ideology” More stable)

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Mie Kim and Garrett 2012
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Model 1

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Model 2

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Structure of Ideology
Unidimensional—left/right?
Parsimony
Constraint originates from elites (Converse)
Beliefs are psychologically motivated. Need for order, security,
stability, status quo. (Jost et al)
Correlation among economic and social issues, at least in the
US.
Two-dimensional
Single-factor model doesn’t fit the data well
“...economic preferences (greater quality / compassion vs
market outcomes / self-interest) form one dimension and
social preferences (modern vs traditional values or social
freedom vs order) form the second” (p. 595)
Elites
Big 5 Personality (Need for cognition, openness to change,
etc.)
RWA and SDO
Notes 3 Comparative Public Opinion
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Mie Kim and Garrett 2012
Leeper and Slothuus 2014

Two Dimensions

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Conservatives in the US, Ellison & Stimson 2007

Constrained conservatives—consistent
Moral conservatives—traditional morality issues
Conflicted conservatives—liberal views

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Mie Kim and Garrett 2012
Leeper and Slothuus 2014

Origins of Ideology

Changing political, social, and economic circumstances

Media coverage, framing
Values: Social and Political. How many? Values systems?
Value priorities. (see 603).
Values: Moral (harm/care; ingroup/loyalty; etc). Lakoff’s
“nurturant family” vs “strict parent” and links to
authoritarianism
Big 5 (NEO Personality Inventory)
Biology, genetics

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Mie Kim and Garrett 2012
Leeper and Slothuus 2014

Personality

https://www.123test.com/big-five-personality-theory/

Notes 3 Comparative Public Opinion

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Mie Kim and Garrett 2012
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Information Processing

Memory based—Relevant information is retrieved from

long-term memory at the time of judgment/when a decision is
required
On-line—Real time, by updating an affective integrator
(on-line tally) with new information at the time of exposure
Flexible Processors
Dual processing models, motivation (“cognitive misers” vs
“naive scientists”)

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Mie Kim and Garrett 2012
Leeper and Slothuus 2014

Predisposition Model of Public Opinion

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Partisan Conflict Predisposition Model

Notes 3 Comparative Public Opinion