File - Mr. Mullis Weebly

Download Report

Transcript File - Mr. Mullis Weebly

Shaping Public Opinion
http://www.democracycellproject.net/blog/ima
ges/propaganda.jpg
http://www.websitesandsoundbites.com/Camp
aign%20Button%201.gif
The opinions of the people can influence the gov’t
Elected official ignores the people = no reelection
There are very few issues, though, on which all
Americans can agree
http://pewresearch.org/assets/obdeck/110-interior.jpg



Public Opinion – the total of the opinions held
concerning a particular issue
 Opinions are shaped by many factors:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Family
Friends
Ideas
Teachers
Clubs
Most information to form our opinions comes from
mass media
 Mass media – forms of communication that transmit
information to large numbers of people

 Books, magazines, tv, Internet, film, etc.
Much of this information is biased (one-sided)
Effective citizens think critically and determine the
difference between fact/fiction and bias/non-partisan


http://z.about.com/d/politicalhumor/1/0/f/Y/bush_resignat
ion.jpg
http://nhs.needham.k12.ma.us/cur/baker_00/20
02-p3/baker_p3_12-01_js/images/carlesstalk.jpg

Propaganda – Ideas that are spread to influence
people
CONCEALED PROPAGANDA
REVEALED PROPAGANDA
Presented as fact and its
sources are kept secret
 Used to fool people w/out
their knowledge
 Ex) Many political
advertisements



More common
Makes you aware you are
trying to be influenced
 TV and radio commercials
 Political commercials have
to say that they are paid
advertisements

6 Techniques:
a) Testimonials
b) Bandwagon
c) Name Calling
d) Glittering Generalities
e) Plain-Folks Appeal
f) Card Stacking

Candidates seek endorsements from famous people
 Ex) Chris Rock endorses Barack Obama
Law states that any endorsement must be the
celebrity’s honest opinion

If you say something often enough and loud
enough, people will believe it
 Everybody else is doing it, why shouldn’t you?

Using an unpleasant label or description to harm a
person, group, or product
 You must be able to determine whether a statement
is fact or opinion

Uses words or vague statements that sound good,
but have little real meaning
 Uses words like freedom and patriotism, which give
positive feelings to people and hide the actual
statements

Candidate tries to portray himself/herself as a plain
hardworking citizen
 Tries to identify with the common worker

Uses facts that support only one side of a particular
candidate
 Stacks the cards against the truth

 Ex) Newspaper gives front page headline to the candidate it
supports, but does not even mention the other candidate

Poll – A survey that measures public opinion
 Finds out what people think about issues, politicians, and
policies
 Try to get a fair sample…people of different ages, races,
genders, backgrounds, etc.

Livingroom Candidate