Chapter 6: Public Opinion and Political Action The American People How Americans Learn About Politics: Political Socialization Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information What Americans Value: Political Ideologies How Americans Participate in Politics Understanding Public Opinion and Political Action Summary
Chapter Outline and Learning Objectives The American People LO 6.1: Identify demographic trends and their likely impact on American politics. How Americans Learn About Politics: Political Socialization LO 6.2: Outline how various forms of socialization shape political opinions.
Chapter Outline and Learning Objectives Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information LO 6.3: Explain how polls are conducted and what can be learned from them about American public opinion. What Americans Value: Political Ideologies LO 6.4: Assess the influence of political ideology on Americans political thinking and behavior.
Chapter Outline and Learning Objectives How Americans Participate in Politics LO 6.5: Classify forms of political participation into two broad types. Understanding Public Opinion and Political Action LO 6.6: Analyze how public opinion about the scope of government guides political behavior.
The American People LO 6.1: Identify demographic trends and their likely impact on American politics. The Immigrant Society The American Melting Pot The Regional Shift The Graying of America
The American People LO 6.1 The Immigrant Society United States is a nation of immigrants. Three waves of immigration into the United States are mainly (1) Northwestern Europeans prior to late 19 th Century, (2) Southern and eastern Europeans in late 19 th and early 20 th centuries, and (3) Hispanics and Asians in late 20 th century.
The American People LO 6.1 The American Melting Pot Melting pot is the mixing of cultures, ideas, and peoples that has changed the American nation. Minority majority is the emergence of a non-caucasian majority. Political culture is an overall set of values widely shared within a society.
LO 6.1
LO 6.1
The American People LO 6.1 The Regional Shift Much of America s population growth since World War II has been centered in the West and South. Reapportionment is the process of reallocating seats in the House of Representatives every 10 years on the basis of the results of the census.
The American People LO 6.1 The Graying of America Aging population Implications for Social Security. Social Security is a pay as-you-go system, which means that today s workers pay the benefits for today s retirees. By 2040, there will be only about two workers per retiree.
How Americans Learn About Politics: Political Socialization LO 6.2: Outline how various forms of socialization shape political opinions. The Process of Political Socialization Political Learning over a Lifetime
How Americans Learn About Politics: Political Socialization LO 6.2 The Process of Political Socialization The Family Parents give their children political attitudes. The Mass Media TV gives people information about politics. School Schools socialize the youth into political culture.
How Americans Learn About Politics: Political Socialization LO 6.2 Political Learning over a Lifetime Aging increases political participation and strength of party attachment.
LO 6.2
Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information LO 6.3: Explain how polls are conducted and what can be learned from them about American public opinion. How Polls Are Conducted The Role of Polls in American Democracy What Polls Reveal About Americans Political Information The Decline of Trust in Government
Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information LO 6.3 How Polls Are Conducted Sample People in survey to be representative of the whole. Random Sampling People should get equal probability of being selected for the sample. Sampling Error Confidence in public opinion poll findings.
LO 6.3
Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information LO 6.3 The Role of Polls in American Democracy Polls help politicians detect public preferences. Critics Politicians think more about following than leading public; bandwagon effect distort elections; exit-day polls discourage voting; and wording of questions manipulate answers.
Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information LO 6.3 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.
Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information LO 6.3 The Decline of Trust in Government Since 1964, trust in government has declined. Trust in government has gone up somewhat since 9/11/2001.
LO 6.3
What Americans Value: Political Ideologies LO 6.4: Assess the influence of political ideology on Americans political thinking and behavior. Who Are the Liberals and Conservatives? Do People Think in Ideological Terms?
LO 6.4
What Americans Value: Political Ideologies LO 6.4 Who Are the Liberals and Conservatives? Americans pick ideological label of conservative over liberal. In 2008, 36% were conservatives, 38% were moderates, and just 26% were liberals. Gender gap Women more likely support Democratic candidates.
What Americans Value: Political Ideologies LO 6.4 Do People Think in Ideological Terms? Ideologues (12%) Yes they do. Group Benefits (42%) Think of groups they like or dislike. Nature of the Times (24%) If times are good or bad for them. No issue content (22%) Vote for party or personality.
How Americans Participate in Politics LO 6.5: Classify forms of political participation into two broad types. Conventional Participation Protest as Participation Class, Inequality, and Participation
How Americans Participate in Politics LO 6.5 Conventional Participation Voting in elections. Working in campaigns or running for office. Contacting elected officials. Ringing doorbells for a petition. Running for office.
How Americans Participate in Politics LO 6.5 Protest as Participation Protest Designed to achieve policy changes through dramatic and unconventional tactics. Civil disobedience Reflects a conscious decision to break a law believed to be immoral and to suffer the consequences. Violence Riots and fighting.
LO 6.5
LO 6.5
How Americans Participate in Politics LO 6.5 Class, Inequality, and Participation Class-biased activity Citizens of higher socioeconomic status participating more than others. Minorities are below average in terms of participation. Who gets what in politics depends on who participates.
LO 6.5
Understanding Public Opinion and Political Action LO 6.6: Analyze how public opinion about the scope of government guides political behavior. Public Attitudes Toward the Scope of Government Democracy, Public Opinion, and Political Action
Understanding Public Opinion and Political Action LO 6.6 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.
Understanding Public Opinion and Political Action LO 6.6 Democracy, Public Opinion, and Political Action Americans select leaders in democratic elections. Polls reveal that Americans know little about candidates issues. People vote more for performance than policy.
LO 6.1 Summary The American People Immigration has accelerated in America in recent decades. The size of the minority population has increased greatly. By 2050, whites will represent less than 50% of the population. The population has also been aging and moving to Sunbelt states such as California, Texas, and Florida.
Which of the following is the fastestgrowing group in the United States? LO 6.1 A. African Americans B. Asian Americans C. Hispanics D. Native Americans
Which of the following is the fastestgrowing group in the United States? LO 6.1 A. African Americans B. Asian Americans C. Hispanics D. Native Americans
LO 6.2 Summary How Americans Learn About Politics: Political Socialization The principal actors in the socialization process are the family, the media, and schools. As people age, the firmness with which they hold political attitudes, such as party identification, tends to increase.
LO 6.2 The main source of political socialization WITHIN the context is government and civics classes. A. school B. family C. mass media D. all of the above
LO 6.2 The main source of political socialization WITHIN the context is government and civics classes. A. school B. family C. mass media D. all of the above
LO 6.3 Summary Measuring Public Opinion and Political Information Polls are conducted through the technique of random sampling. A random sample of 1,000 will yield results within plus or minus three percentage points of what would be found if everyone were interviewed. Polls detect public preferences and how informed we are about issues.
Which of the following ensures that the opinions of several hundred million Americans can be inferred through polling? LO 6.3 A. Random sampling. B. Sampling error. C. Population sampling that ensures a sample size of at least 1,000 to 1,500 people. D. All of the above.
LO 6.3 Which of the following ensures that the opinions of several hundred million Americans can be inferred through polling? A. Random sampling. B. Sampling error. C. Population sampling that ensures a sample size of at least 1,000 to 1,500 people. D. All of the above.
LO 6.4 Summary What Americans Value: Political Ideologies A political ideology is a coherent set of values and beliefs about public policy. The two most prominent ideologies in American politics are conservatism and liberalism. These ideologies guide people s thinking on policy issues.
LO 6.4 Summary What Americans Value: Political Ideologies (cont.) 62% of Americans call themselves either conservatives or liberals. Americans are conservative (36%) in principle but liberal (26%) in practice; that is, they are against big government but favor more spending on a wide variety of programs.
Americans are more likely to be. LO 6.4 A. conservative than liberal B. liberal than conservative C. moderate than conservative D. moderate than liberal
Americans are more likely to be. LO 6.4 A. conservative than liberal B. liberal than conservative C. moderate than conservative D. moderate than liberal
LO 6.5 Summary How Americans Participate in Politics Conventional participation includes voting, writing letters or e-mails to public officials, attending political meetings, signing petitions, and giving money to campaigns and political groups.
LO 6.5 Summary How Americans Participate in Politics (cont.) Unconventional participation includes attending protest demonstrations and acts of civil disobedience. Citizens of higher social economic status participate more in American politics.
Which of the following type of political participation is most common in the United States? LO 6.5 A. Protesting a governmental policy. B. Litigating through the court system. C. Writing to a member of Congress. D. Voting in elections.
Which of the following type of political participation is most common in the United States? LO 6.5 A. Protesting a governmental policy. B. Litigating through the court system. C. Writing to a member of Congress. D. Voting in elections.
LO 6.6 Summary Understanding Public Opinion and Political Action Conservatives think the scope of government has become too wide in recent decades. Liberals believe the scope of government should be further increased and support the 2010 Health Insurance Reform Act.
LO 6.6 Public opinion polls reveal that Americans A. are ideological liberals but operational conservatives. B. oppose the idea of big government in principle but favor it in practice. C. favor the idea of big government in principle but oppose it in practice. D. are ideological moderates.
LO 6.6 Public opinion polls reveal that Americans A. are ideological liberals but operational conservatives. B. oppose the idea of big government in principle but favor it in practice. C. favor the idea of big government in principle but oppose it in practice. D. are ideological moderates.
Text Credits Excerpt from Most Don t Know What Public Option Is, August 27, 2009, http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/08/poll-most-dont-knowwhat-public-option.html. Used with permission. US Census Bureau, http://www.census.gov/population/www/projections/files/nation/sum mary/np2008-t4.xls.
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