do now if you were to take a poll of v.c. students, what do you think would be the overall opinion...
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Do Now
If you were to take a poll of V.C. students, what do you think would be the overall opinion of:
• School Lunch (Does it need improvement, why/why not?
• I.S.S. (Does it work?)• School Activities (Are they sufficient, in need of
improvement?)• School Policies: (Sufficient? Need more? Less?)
Do Now: Forming Public Opinion• Newspapers and television broadcasters often talk about
public opinion. They may say, “Public opinion polls show great support for the war in Iraq.” Or they may say, “According to public opinion, stem cell research should be opened to new cell sources.” Public opinion refers to the general attitudes, beliefs, and ideas of a large number of people in our society about politics and other matters. Public opinion is shaped by many different factors.
Answer the following about public opinion.• 1. List at least four factors or forces that influence a
person’s opinion.• 2. Which force is the most influential? Explain your
answer in two or three sentences
Private opinion
becomes public
opinion
when you go to the polls
or speak out on a radio
show, write a letter to the editor, etc.
When does your opinion become public opinion?
The BIG Idea
Several Factors, including family, and education help to shape a person’s opinions about public affairs. The family is the first political socialization experience.
Types of Polls
Surveys; subject to bias by those that
create and interpret questions
Straw Poll; mail survey that asks a large number of people the same
questionTelephone Polls: no way to ensure
opinions expressed are
represented by population being
studied
What kinds of Polls are there?
Biased Sample: did not accurately represent the population
What kind of information do polls gather?
• What are the wants and wishes of the public?• What are the people thinking about?• What is troubling the public?• What are the opinions of people on current problems?• How informed are people about current issues?• What are the voting habits of people, in general, and of
special groups within the population?• What are the differences of opinion among people in
various geographic areas in the country, political groups, groups representing different social and economic levels?
What is sampling?
Biased Sample: did not accurately
represent the population
Random Sampling: every person in the population has an equal chance of
being chosen (most reliable)
Quota Sample: chooses certain
common characteristics (least reliable)
Straw Votes – asking the
same question to many people
Sampling: a group of people who are typical of that general population
What kinds of polls exist?
• The Gallup Poll: Gallup has studied human nature and behavior for more than 70 years.
• The Marist Poll: Founded in 1978, the Marist Institute for Public Opinion (MIPO) is a survey research center at Marist College.
What are the steps in Scientific Polling?
• Government leaders make policy based on public opinion
• Winning party and candidate often claim to have a mandate (responsibility to constituency)
• Election results indicate public opinion – however Interest Groups often shape public policy
• Interest Groups: private organizations that work to influence and inform candidates of their views.
• Scientific polls use the “universe” (population the poll means to measure).
What are some problems with polls?
People that support
Polls:
tools of Democracy
People that criticize Polls:
makes politicians reactors
rather than leaders and discourages voter from
voting
Frequent complaints about Polls
• Wording of the questions can effect response• Reduce complex issues to a yes or no answer• Public Opinion misused: candidates can create it• Sampling Errors: difference between what
sampling result show and the true results if everybody was polled
• Answers given may not be reliable• Can’t reflect rapid shifts on Public Opinions unless
polls are taken often
Summary
• What is public opinion? • How is it measured? • What types of polls are there? • To what extent does the media impact public
opinion?
What is the role of the Mass Media in Politics?
• Medium: a means of communication• There are four (4) major mass media in
American politics• The mass media plays a large part in setting
the Public Agenda – the public issues people talk about
• Sound Bites: focused snappy statements that can be aired in 35 to 45 seconds. Photo Ops.
The InternetYoutube
Blogs Television (the most impact on opinion)
Radionewspapers
Cd’sAudio Video Magazines
Booksfilms
Mass Media