Transcript Mass Media and Public Opinion

Mass Media and Public
Opinion
Chapter 8
Goals & Objectives
1. Attitudes about government &
politics.
2. Factors shaping public opinion.
3. Elections, Interest Groups, Media,
Peers shaping political viewpoints.
4. Measuring public opinion.
5. Polling and Validity.
Formation of Public Opinion
• Measuring Public Opinion:
– Too complex to define.
• Different Publics: Income Groups, Ideologies,
Experiences, Needs, Wants
– The sum of all public views?
– Different Publics:
• Individuals who hold the same view on some particular
public issue.
Public Affairs
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Public opinion that relates to public affairs:
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national health care
global warming
gun control
death penalty
taxes
welfare
national defense
The Political Spectrum
• Left
– Liberal
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Democrats
Greens
Socialists
Communists
Labor
The Political Spectrum
• Right
– Conservative
• Republican
• Libertarian
• Reform
• Constitutionalists
• Independents
Shaping Group Attitudes
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Family VALUES:
Learning your political attitudes.
Parents and Political Socialization
Experiences, Relationships,
Socioeconomics, Religion, Success or
Failure
The New American Family
shaping young voters
Schools shaping attitudes
Pledge of Allegiance, Saluting the Flag, No Child Left
Behind, Character Education, Drug Education, Common
Core, etc…
Political Attitudes
Mass Media Shaping Attitudes
Newspapers
 Television
 Radio
 Internet
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Social Media
Media Shaping Attitudes
Opinion Leaders
Teachers
Preachers
Lawyers
Doctors
Churches
Talk show hosts
Opinion Leaders & Attitudes
Peer Groups & Attitudes
“Birds of the same feather tend to flock
together”.
“If you want to be rich do you hang out
with poor or rich people?”
Peers & Attitudes
Historic Events
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The Great Depression Era
– How it changed public opinion to a Socialist
viewpoint…….Why?
 Employment
 Poverty
 Circulation of Currency
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9/11:
Historic Events & Attitudes
1960-1970’s
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JFK assassination
RFK assassination
MLK assassination
Civil Rights Movement
Vietnam War
Watergate
Race Riots
Zimmerman/Martin Trial
Simpson Trial
Measuring Public Opinion
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“according to a recent poll”
Mandate: simply means the winner
of the election
Interest Groups:
Media:
Personal Contacts
Media & Pushpolls
POLLS The Best Measure
Straw Polls
– Unreliable, false assumptions
– Why?
Too broad of a group and questioning is
emotionally loaded with generic questions
Do you support fair Housing?
Scientific Polling
Gallop Poll
Harris Poll
1. define the
universe
2.sample
3. valid questions
4. select and
construct
5. analyze
Types of Samples:
Random…probability sample
READ pg. 219
Quota sample….different groups
selected to represent universe
Evaluating Polls
1. Intensity…strength of feeling
2. Stability…Changing opinions
3. Relevance…importance of opinions
BANDWAGON EFFECT
Media and Politics
• Pg. Sound Bites:
– 10-15% of Voters are informed with facts
instead of sound-bites
– READ pg. 229
Media and Public Opinion