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Media & Public Opinion

Topic 10.5 – 10.6

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Public Opinion

  • What is Public Opinion?
    • Our ATTITUDES on matters of government & Politics

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Influences on Public Opinion:�FAMILY�

  • These people have a monopoly on presenting you info when you are young and impressionable

Here’s why we hate the other party son.

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Influences on Public Opinion:�SCHOOL

  • Work to indoctrinate young people through things like the Pledge of Allegiance and through what is taught and how it’s taught.

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Influences on Public Opinion:�MASS MEDIA

  • Where we get our news can influence how we think about things.

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Influences on Public Opinion:�PEER GROUPS

  • Usually reinforce what you already believe.  We want to be liked so we accept their views to fit in.

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Influences on Public Opinion:�OPINION LEADERS

  • People with unusually strong influence on the views of others.

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Influences on Public Opinion:�HISTORIC EVENTS

  • Big events can change people’s views of the world.

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Public Opinion

  • Mandate – Instructions or commands a constituency gives to its elected officials
  • When dealing with Interest Groups, elected officials struggle with…
    1. How many people does the interest group really represent?
    2. How strongly do those people hold the views that an organization says they hold?

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Public Opinion Polls

  • Universe - Whole population the poll aims to measure.
  • Random Sample - all the members of the universe have equal chance of being interviewed.
    • If sample doesn’t accurately reflect population it won’t be accurate.
  • Loaded Questions can cause people to answer a certain way
  • People lie to make themselves look good.

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What are the questions one should ask when you hear poll results in order to analyze them critically?

  • Who is responsible for the poll?
  • What is the poll’s universe?
  • How was the sample chosen?
    • Random or Representative?
  • Why is the poll being conducted?
  • When was the data collected?

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  • What is the “bandwagon effect” and how can polls contribute to it?
    • When some votes see a candidate is popular or leading in the polls they join in because they want to be a part of a winner.

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Are Polls Perfect? NO!

  • “bandwagon effect” - When some votes see a candidate is popular or leading in the polls they join in because they want to be a part of a winner.
  •  3 things pollsters acknowledge they have difficulty measuring?
    1. Intensity - strength of opinion
    2. Stability - relative permanence or changeableness of opinion
    3. Relevance - how important an opinion is to the person who holds it
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Is Public Opinion Always Correct?

  • NO!

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  • Our Constitutional is set up to protect minority rights:
    • Separation of Powers, Checks & Balances, Bill of Rights, Courts - all of these protect minority interests from the majority’s views and actions

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Mass Media

5 Forms of Mass Media - TV, Newspapers, Radio, Magazines, Internet/Social Media

2 ways that the media influence American politics?

    • Public Agenda -  The media focuses the public’s attention on specific issues.  It tells people what to think about.  Influences public officials.
    • Electoral Politics - Candidates less dependent on parties - can appeal directly to the people without the party and use sound bites to get their message and image out to the people.�

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Media’s Influence on Public

  • It’s actually limited. Why?
    • We’re not well-informed - Only about 10% of those who can, actually vote and 15% of those who do vote are actually well-informed on the issues.  
    • People most often will only listen or watch things that reinforce their own beliefs.  
    • Most media content is nonpolitical & instead entertainment (TV shows).
    • Public affair coverage is often not in-depth.

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