Chapter 6

1. Chapter 6 Public Opinion and Political Socialization: Shaping the People’s Voice

2. 6-2 V. O. Key, Jr. To speak with precision of public opinion is a task not unlike coming to grips with the Holy Ghost.

3. 6-3 The Nature of Public Opinion • How Informed Is Public Opinion? • The Measurement of Public Opinion • Public Opinion Polls • Sample • Population • Sampling error • Problems with Polls

4. 6-4 Political Socialization: How Americans Learn Their Politics • The Process of Political Socialization • Occurs in childhood • Cumulative in nature • Age-cohort Tendency

5. 6-5 Political Socialization: How Americans Learn Their Politics • The Agents of Political Socialization • Families • Schools • Mass Media • Peers • Political Institutions and Leaders • Churches

6. 6-6 Frames of Reference: How Americans Think Politically • Cultural Thinking: Common Ideas • Ideological Thinking: The Outlook for Some • Ideology • Liberals • Conservatives • Libertarians • Populists

7. 6-7 Frames of Reference: How Americans Think Politically • Group Thinking: The Outlook of Many • Religion • Class • Region • Race and Ethnicity • Gender • Age • Crosscutting Cleavages

8. 6-8 Frames of Reference: How Americans Think Politically • Partisan Thinking: The Line That Divides • Party Identification • Party loyalties are not as stable as once was thought • Partisanship based on economic circumstances and policy traditions

9. 6-9 The Influence of Public Opinion on Policy • People’s view should prevail. • Some counter that elite opinion prevails. • Public opinion does have an impact. • But public opinion can be changed by political action.

10. 6-10 States in the Nation

11. 6-11 States in the Nation