Public Opinion

How people feel about the issues,

and how they are manipulated.
 What is Public Opinion?
• Def.: Politically relevant opinions held by
ordinary citizens that they express openly.

• Attitudes and opinions of a large group of

people on particular issues
 Political Socialization
• So, where do we get our public opinions?

• Political Socialization: the learning process

by which people acquire their political
opinions, beliefs, and values.
 Political Culture
• Most (if not all) Americans fall into a large
Political Culture: The Characteristic and
deep seated beliefs of a particular people
about government and politics.
• This political culture is different from that
of other nations and may vary from region
to region in the U.S.
• However, Americans are a part of a larger,
common political culture upon which they
can all agree.
 Aspects of American Culture
Political Scientists agree on 3 main aspects:
•Commitment to Liberty (freedom)
•Equality
•Self-government

Other aspects that play a prominent role:

•Private Property
•Personal Rights
•Civic Duty
 Varying Public Opinion
• Outside of the main aspects of American
Culture, public opinion varies in the U.S.
• Importance of issues also vary, especially
over time.
• Ex.
– The War in Afghanistan
– Global Warming
– Income Disparity
– Banking Regulations
 Underlying Values
• Though issues come and go, general
attitudes and political leanings remain the
same.
• These come from people’s political
socialization.
 Agents of Socialization
Def. The agents that have a significant
impact on citizens’ political socialization.
Primary Agents:
•Parents and families (#1 influence!)
•Schools
•Religious Organizations
Secondary Agents:
•Peer Groups
•Media
•Leaders
 Primary Socializing Agents
• Family: Main influence for early life. Political
leanings developed early, later given
reasons.
• School: Reinforce importance of political
institutions, pride in country and values
(liberty, equality, participation in govt.)
• Religion: Socializes beliefs in societal topics,
esp. treating the poor and the unborn.
 Secondary Socializing Agents
• Peers: tend to socialize with like peers,
and within groups minority opinions are
often silenced by majority ones.
• Media: influence indirectly, through images
and themes. (ex. Exposure to crime on
television makes people believe society is
more dangerous than it is).
• Leaders: Authority figures and those well
respected can impact public opinion. Ex.
The President (#1), News Media figures
(Oprah Winfrey, Jon Stewart, Bill O’Riley)
How Americans think Politically
• While all people have their own opinions as
a result of their socializing agents, public
opinion is a collection of those opinions into
similar coherent thought.
• Three major frames of reference shape
public opinion:
– Partisanship (Party Identification)
– Ideological Leanings
– Group Attachments
 1. Partisanship
• Aka Party Identification: The personal
sense of loyalty an individual may feel
toward a particular political party.
• 2/3 of adults consider themselves
Democrats or Republicans while 1/3
remain Independent
• This identity not only groups like minded
people, but also acts as a lens through
which they view the world
 Party as a Lens
• Political Party and identity shape views on
issues not only on their merit, but based
on who proposes them.
• Ex.
– Romneycare vs. Obamacare
– Clinton’s intervention in Yugoslavia vs. Bush’s
invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq vs. Obama’s
intervention in Libya and possibly Syria
 Party Loyalty
• While on some level party members reflexively
support their own party, there is history behind
party membership that is long lived.
• Ex.
– Democrats support workers rights and social
welfare, therefore receive great union and worker
support
– Republicans support tax cuts and pro-business
policies, therefore receive support from business
and financial sectors.
 2. Political Ideology
• Def. Consistent pattern of opinion on
particular issues that stems from a core
belief or set of beliefs.

• While most Americans cannot be considered

true ideologues (Communists, Socialists,
Fascists), Americans have ideological
leanings: Liberal and Conservative on the
Political Spectrum.
 The Political Spectrum

Left Right

Liberal Conservative

Radical

Reactionary
Moderate
 Dividing the Issues
• In general, political issues can be divided
into two categories:
• Economic Issues:
– Dealing with money, business, taxes,
government regulation of business,
Government spending, wealth distribution
• Cultural (Social) Issues:
– Dealing with society and the way people live,
crime, morality, prison, liberties, rights
 Liberals
• Economic Liberals: Those who believe
government should do more to assist
people who have difficulty meeting their
own economic needs.
• Cultural (social) Liberals: Those who
believe it is not government’s role to
support traditional values at the expense
of new ones.
 Conservative
• Economic Conservatives: Those who
believe government tries to do too many
things that should be left to private
interests and economic markets.
• Cultural (social) Conservatives: Those
who believe government power should be
used to uphold traditional values.
 Moderate
• The moderate tends to stand with
different groups on an issue to issue basis
or in a middle area between the liberal/
conservative extreme.
 Libertarian/Statist
• Libertarian: Economic conservative (no govt.
interference), but Culturally liberal (complete
freedom and rights for all)

• Statist: Economic liberal with government

control of the economy, but Culturally
conservative with strict adherence to
traditions and norms. (Called Populist in
textbook, but I disagree…)
 3. Group Orientations
• Political Opinion is tied to a person’s group
or groups in which they belong.
• Different issues impact different groups
differently, therefore the political opinion of
members of those groups react
accordingly.
• Ex. Social security is important to seniors,
while college tuition is important to young
voters,(but not in reverse).
 Religious Groups
• Various religions and their teachings
impact members of those religions on
various issues.
• Ex.
– Abortion
– Gay Marriage
– Welfare programs for the poor
– School prayer
 Economic Class
• Income and education impact political
opinion on some issues.
– Ex. Lower-income are more likely to support
welfare and business regulation, while higher-
income support free market and tax cuts.

• But not others.

• Ex. Union support and collective bargaining is
high among blue-collar and factory workers, but
not among white collar workers or farmers even
though they may have similar income levels
 Region
• While not as cut-and-dried as in the past
(think North and South Pre-civil war through
the 1960s) region has an impact.
• “Red States” (Republican Majority) are
located in the South, Great Plains and
Rocky Mts.
• “Blue States” (Democratic Majority) are
located in the North East, Midwest, and
West Coast
 Race and Ethnicity
• Major impact on civil rights and liberties issues
– Ex. Black and Hispanic for Affirmative Action, less
trusting of police and court system than non-
Hispanic Whites

• Opinions differ in regards to social welfare

programs (in general, Black, Hispanic for,
White against) but much is also due to income
and education.
 Gender
• Men and Women tend to think alike in
many issues, with some exceptions:
– Affirmative Action: Women more pro, Men con
– Social Welfare: Women pro education
spending and welfare programs
– Military Spending: Men pro use of military
than women
 Generations and Age
• Different generations are shaped by the
political environment they are born into.
This shapes their public opinion.
• Ex.

– WWII generation: Civic Duty important

– Vietnam generation: Mistrust of government
• Also, issues that are important to one age
group may be less important to another
• Ex.

• Seniors: Social Security

• Parents: Funding for Public Education
• Young Adults: College debt
 “Crosscutting Cleavages”
• Americans identify with several different
groups, (religion/gender/age). The
identification with one group is lessoned
by belonging to another.
• Exposure to members of different groups
also lessons group identification.

This fact creates a tendency for political

moderation in the U.S., unlike other
nations, where group loyalty breeds
mistrust of other groups.
 So What?
• Looking at your notes, how might a politician
use this information regarding
– Party Identification
– Political Ideology
– Group Orientation
in an election?
Give a SPECIFIC EXAMPLE from each how
a politician would use this information to
win an election.
 Influence of Public Opinion
• Questions about what the impact of Public
Opinion on governing arise often:
– How much DOES Public Opinion impact
legislation?
– How much SHOULD Public Opinion impact
legislation
Both these questions can be answered as
SOMEWHAT influencing government
Limits on the Public’s Influence
• Often public opinion is contradictory
– Lower Taxes, More Government Action
• Also, the public may be uninformed or
misinformed on many topics
– Iraq being involved in the 9/11 attacks
– Obamacare and the Affordable Healthcare act
 Public Opinion and Boundaries
of Action
• Because of strong public opinion on
certain issues, they are considered
politically untouchable (called the 3rd
Rail, referring to the electrified subway rail
you should not touch!)
– Social Security: reforms in 1980s and 2000s
went nowhere
– Military spending/closing military bases
 Leaders and Public Opinion
• Despite limitations on Public Opinion,
leaders do have room to maneuver
• Often leaders can take advantage of
public misinformation/apathy to push their
agendas
• Leaders can also use their positions to
drive public opinion in the direction they
desire
 Measuring Public Opinion
• Public Opinion Polls- Gallup Poll and
Harris Survey use telephone questions to
sample large groups on their public
opinion

• Pollster- A person who surveys people’s

attitudes about an issue
 Taking a Poll
• To be sure that a poll is accurate and
representative of the population, the
following have to be done:
– Define the population to be polled
– Construct a sample-
• Random- chosen by chance
• Quota- representative number from subgroups
– Prepare a valid question- must be neutral, not
endorse one side or another
– Decide how the question will be asked
– Report the findings
 Mass Media
• Medium: means of communication
• Media: plural of medium

• Mass Media: Any means of

communication that can reach large,
widely dispersed audiences
simultaneously
 Examples of Mass Media
• Newspapers
• Magazines
• Radio
• Television
• Internet
 What is Mass Media used for?
• Political Parties and interest groups (we’ll
talk about them in a second) use Mass
Media to get their message across and
influence public opinion.
Techniques Interest Groups use to
influence public opinion
• Endorsements: famous people who
support a candidate (Actors,
• musicians, other politicians)

• Stacked Cards: present only one side of

the issue to distort facts.
Techniques Interest Groups use to
influence public opinion (cont.)
• Bandwagon: Everyone else is voting for
candidate, so you should too!
• Glittering Generality: A statement that
sounds good but is meaningless. (ex. A
Thousand Points of Light!, A Bridge to the
21st Century!)
Techniques Interest Groups use to
influence public opinion
• Symbol: Use of the flag, eagle, Uncle
Sam, etc. to appear patriotic
Techniques Interest Groups use to
influence public opinion
• Just Plain Folks: Candidates act like
average person (Bush on his ranch, Gore
doing the Macarena)
Techniques Interest Groups use to
influence public opinion
• Name-Calling: Telling all the bad things
about their opponent (Swift-Boat Vets for
Truth, associating Obama with Rev.
Wright, terrorists.)
 Interest Groups
• People with a similar point of view that
work together to promote that point of view
 Functions of Interest Groups
1. Bring issues and concerns to the
attention of the public and lawmakers
2. Represent interests and concerns of
individuals
3. Support political candidates who favor
their issue
 Economic Interest Groups
• Business Organizations, professional
associations, labor unions, industrial and
trade associations.

• Ex. American Medical Association

(doctors), The Bar Association (Lawyers),
American Federation of Teachers, United
Auto Workers
 Interest Groups for Specific Race,
Age, or Gender
• NAACP: National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People
• NOW: National Organization for Women
• AARP: American Association of Retired
People
 Interest Groups for a Specific
Cause
• Greenpeace: Environmental Issues
• Amnesty International: Human Rights
Issues
• National Rifle Association
• PETA: People for the Ethical Treatment of
Animals
 Lobbyists
• People who are paid to attempt to
persuade government officials to vote in
favor of an interest groups concern
Political Action Committees (PACs)
• PACs are political fundraising
organizations established by special
interest groups
What they do:
• PACs raise money for candidates that
support their ideas
 The Problem with PACs
• Politicians need money to run campaigns,
so they accept money from PACs
• In return PACs expect politicians to vote
on the issues they value
• Politicians, therefore, have to choose
between their constituents and PACs.
Doing the right thing, may be political
suicide!