Chapter 9 Content Statement

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2 Content Statement 2 Chapter 9 Content Statement 2. Political parties, interest groups and the media provide opportunities for civic involvement through various means Expectations for Learning Select a political party or interest group to address a civic issue, identify a type of media as a means of communication, then defend the viability of the choices made in an effort to achieve a successful result in resolving the civic issue.

3 Chapter 9 Content Statement Content Statement 15 The political process creates a dynamic interaction among the three branches of government in addressing current issues. Expectations for Learning Use historical or contemporary examples of interactions among two or three branches of the federal government to analyze the political dynamics involved.

4 Public opinion Public policy Political socialization Mass media Propaganda Poll Sample Sampling error Bias Objectivity Exit poll Chapter 9-1 vocab p. 248

5 Chapter 9-1 vocab p. 248 Public opinion: the aggregation of views shared by a segment of society on issues of interest or concern to people. Public policy: the choices the government makes and the actions it takes in response to a particular issue or problem. Political socialization: the process by which people acquire political beliefs. Mass media: any means of communication that provides information to a large audience, including magazines, radio, television news, and news on eh Web. Propaganda: information designed to shape public opinion. Poll: a survey of people scientifically selected to provide opinions about something. Sample: the group of people who take part in a poll. Sampling error: a poll s margin of error, or uncertainty level. Bias: errors introduced by polling methods that lead to one outcome over others. Objectivity: freedom from bias and outside factors that may influence the results of a poll. Exit poll: a survey of a randomly selected fraction of voters after they have voted.

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8 Public Opinion Section 1 at a Glance Public opinion is the collection of views that large numbers of people hold about issues of public concern. Public opinion helps direct public policy. Individual opinion is influenced by such factors as family, friends, and age. The media can help shape public opinion. Polls can measure public opinion.

9 Public Opinion Main Idea Public opinion is the collection of views that people hold on public issues. Public opinion is important because it often influences the political process and affects the actions the government takes. Reading Focus What is public opinion? How is public opinion formed? How do the media affect public opinion? How is public opinion measured?

10 The Living Room War

11 1. What Is Public Opinion? The aggregation of views shared by a segment of society on issues of interest or concern is called public opinion. These views may focus on foreign, domestic, or local policy issues. Public opinion is complex and some who agree on one issue may disagree with each other on another issue. 2. Public Opinion and Public Policy Public opinion helps leaders shape public policy: the choices government makes and actions it takes in response to a particular issue or problem. Public opinion indicates how well the government is responding to the will of the people. One view: public as single, centralized body public opinion led, formed by decisions and actions of political and social leaders. Example: public opinion favored U.S. intervention in Iraq in 2003, but by 2006 hurt Republicans in midterm elections. Second view: public as many separate, individual publics public opinion, people s attitudes lead public policy, public agenda. These publics drive change. Changes at local level, like getting city council to reduce traffic in an area.

12 3. Expressing Public Opinion Responsible citizens try to shape public opinion. Express opinions by writing blogs, letters to public officials, testifying at public hearings, participating in marches, demonstrations Many join, support groups representing their views Some groups donate money to political campaigns, provide information to try to influence local, state, or federal legislation Responsible citizens express opinions by voting. Outcome of elections reflects overall public opinion about candidate, issues Voting behavior complex Some vote for candidate because he/she agrees with their views Some vote because he/she agrees with a particular issue Some vote because candidate seems more friendly, or is incumbent

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14 Influences Opinions influenced by: family and friends; school and work; age, gender, race, religion Political socialization: process by which people acquire political beliefs 4. Forming Public Opinion Family Often most direct influence Children hear family members discussing political, current events Conversations help shape attitudes on race, religion, politics, more School and Work At school, formally learn about government, citizenship, values Peer groups influence decisions about clothing, music, fairness Other Personal Factors Age, race, gender, religion Opinion about Social Security may differ with age Religious beliefs influence opinions on marriage, abortion

15 5. Media and Public Opinion Public opinion and public agenda may be shaped or determined by mass media the means of communication that provide information to a large audience. Your daily routine is probably filled with mass media such as magazines, radio, television news, news on the Web, and videos on the internet. 6. Media Impact Effect on public opinion, public policy, most visible in two areas Media monitors, shapes, determines public agenda Media covers politics issues, leaders public consider important Also reports when officials ignore public opinion Does not force people to take sides, focuses attention on issues

16 7. The Growth of Mass Media Print media most enduring form of mass media. Not any more!! Internet!! Facebook? Next slide 1789: Federalist paper Gazette of the United States published Relationship between the press and public opinion-and politics- goes back to at least : Whigs countered with National Gazette. Other examples: Penny press: inexpensive newspapers, covered issues of interest to workingclass people Yellow journalism: sensationalism, scandals, appeals to patriotism Average daily newspaper readership declined after 1970s; today about 40% of adults read newspapers daily. Radio first form of electronic media, beginning in 1920s 1950s: television replaced radio as most influential electronic media Internet has changed mass media: 1 in 3 people regularly get news online.

17 7. The Growth of Mass Media The argument is that Facebook now plays a huge role in the distribution of information. Its 2 billion active users may read traditional news sources like The New York Times and Business Insider. But they aren't typically visiting those websites directly. Instead, they're scrolling through Facebook's news feed and reading articles that friends share. The problem is that Facebook users aren't always good at distinguishing legitimate news sources from satire, propaganda, or just plain false information. And if bad information goes viral, it can negatively influence the public's opinion. The spreading of false information during the election cycle was so bad that President Barack Obama called Facebook a "dust cloud of nonsense." Article by Alyson Shontell, 11/11/16 Bussinessinsider.com

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20 8.Roles of Media Media shape public opinion by issues they cover, and issues they ignore Type of coverage important: bias? Some stories describe candidate s experience; others focus on issues 9. Criticism of the Media Bias in reporting and/or story selection. Pick and choose what they cover and how they cover it in order to spin the story how they see fit. Factual inaccuracy Media consolidation: about two dozen companies own most U.S. media outlets. Some argue this destroys independent sources of information needed for democracy. 10. The Future of Media News more accessible than ever before, not necessarily more accurate Multiple sources help avoid propaganda, incomplete statements meant to influence public opinion, promote one cause or viewpoint At its best, the Internet can educate more people faster than any media tool At its worst, it can make people dumber faster than any media tool Because the Internet has an aura of technology surrounding it, the uneducated believe information from it even more Thomas Friedman, The New York Times (2002). P.252

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23 11. Measuring Public Opinion Sooner or later you may be asked to share your opinions about new products or an upcoming presidential election. You may be part of a public opinion poll a survey of people scientifically selected to provide opinions about something. Scientific polling is a way to determine public attitudes or preferences about consumer products, social issues, and political candidates. Most surveys today are scientific polls. The Polling Process Well-designed poll an accurate measure of public opinion Accuracy depends on number of people answering; how people chosen; how questions asked; absence of bias Sample: the group of people who take part. Sample size important; must be chosen at random from total population Sampling error: possible margin of error above and below poll s results; should be stated What went wrong in 2016? Polls not that off. Were within 1% point. People don t answer the phone/cell phones. Many moderate Republicans flopped back to Trump.

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25 12. Evaluating Polls Properly conducted polls produce reliable, accurate, objective, bias-free results. Bias refers to errors introduced by methods that lead to one outcome over another. Objectivity: freedom from bias, outside factors, that could influence results of poll 13. Polls and Public Opinion Most major polls created, conducted scientifically Polls can be conducted in ways to produce certain results; wording of questions critical Results of polls can be used to shape public opinion in support of certain agendas. Examples: Do you favor or oppose the death penalty for those convicted of murder? Which penalty do you prefer for people convicted of murder, the death penalty or life in prison? 14. Exit Polls Election day exit poll surveys randomly selected fraction of voters after they have voted to find out how they voted before the official vote count Such polls can be used to predict winners of all but very close races.

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