Key Terms
Public opinion
Collection of views on a person, event, or issue Push poll: campaign information disguised as a poll Random sample: ever
Beliefs
Closely held ideas that support values and expectations.
Example
After Bush v. Gore (2000), 80% of Republicans approved vs.
Attitudes
Preferences formed from life experiences and values. Example: someone who experienced discrimination may distrust author
Political socialization
Process of learning a political system's norms
Diffuse support
Widespread acceptance of the government as legitimate and stable; the byproduct of successful socialization across a pop
FRAMING
How information is presented affects how it's perceived. Same event described as a "protest" vs.
Covert content
Politically slanted information presented as neutral.
Overt content
Political bias clearly disclosed by the author or outlet.
Ideology
The set of attitudes and beliefs that shapes how a person views political theory and policy.
Polarization
When members of opposing parties answer value questions increasingly differently. Pew Research tracked this from 1987 to
Guns versus butter debate
The tension between spending on military vs. social programs; reflects how budget priorities divide public opinion.
First opinion poll
1824; asked voters how they voted as they left polling places.
Straw poll
Informal, non-random collection of opinions. Not scientific.
Modern scientific polling
About 80 years old; designed by statisticians to be accurate and representative.