Civics - What Is Public Opinion?

What Is Public Opinion?

Civics Chapter 11

Open Ended

"Overall, public opinion supports mask mandates for students in K-12 school buildings."

If you read the quote above, what conclusion would you reach regarding mask mandates in K-12 schools.

Public Opinion

In the United States, the opinion of the citizens often influence government. For example, an officeholder who ignores what the people usually won't get re-elected.​

​

Typically, we hear statements such as "public opinion demands that something be done" or "public opinion supports this law".

​

The problem with this, is that sometimes people think public opinion is one opinion that is shared by everyone, when if fact, there are very few issues we all agree on.

​

So...what is public opinion then?!?!

Defining Public Opinion

Public Opinion is the total of all the opinions held by the public on a specific issue.

​

Thus, the term public opinion refers to many different opinions, so it is easier to think of it plurally as "public opinions"

​

For each specific issue, there may be several different PUBLICS.

​

A PUBLIC is all of the people who hold the SAME view on an issue.

​

For example, let's use discuss the food in the cafeteria.

​

What do you think is the best food they serve in the cafeteria? ​

​

​

Publics

Remember, a PUBLIC is all of the people who hold the SAME view on an issue.

So if our question was... WHAT IS THE BEST FOOD IN THE CAFETERIA?

​

Then...

Every person who said pizza would be one public

Every person who said popcorn chicken bowl would be another public

Every person​ who said oriental chicken would be a third public

Every person who said italian dunkers would be another public

​

Looking at it this way, if pizza was the largest group, then a statement may be made that ​public opinion says pizza is the best food at YIMS cafeteria. But, we know that there were other groups who felt differently!

​​

Where Does Public Opinion Originate?

Usually, it is said that public opinion, which is your views on specific subjects related to government and politics are influenced from SIX DIFFERENT FACTORS.

​

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

​

What do you think they are?

Where Does Public Opinion Originate?

Usually, it is said that public opinion, or your views on specific subjects related to government and politics are influenced from SIX DIFFERENT FACTORS.

​

1. FAMILY

2. SCHOOL

3. MASS MEDIA

4. PEER GROUP

5. OPINION LEADERS

6. HISTORICAL EVENTS

​

​

Six Factors that Influence Public Opinion

1. Family

***This is the primary factor. Typically, children raised in the homes of Democrats become Democrats and children in the homes of Republicans become Republicans

2. School

***This is the initial break of influence from home.

3. Mass Media

***We define this as communication that is widely dispersed (we will cover the forms of mass media here in a few minutes)

Six Factors that Influence Public Opinion

4. Peer Groups

***A group of people you regularly associate with. Belonging to peer groups reinforces pre-existing ideas, rather than creating new ones because people tend to socialize and trust people similar to them 

5. Opinion Leaders

***Someone with a particularly strong influence on the views of others. For example, the President or even a celebrity or athlete.

6. Historical Events

***Real life events that shape how the people feel about something. Example - After 9/11, many people felt that airline travel as unsafe and canceled schedules flights

What is Mass Media?

Mass Media is defined as various forms of communication that transmit information to large numbers of people

First, lets see if we can name the 5 major forms of mass media!

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

What is Mass Media?

Mass Media is defined as various forms of communication that transmit information to large numbers of people

Lets see if we can rank the five forms from most influential (1) to least influential (5)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

What is Mass Media?

Mass Media is defined as various forms of communication that transmit information to large numbers of people

Lets see if we can rank the five forms from most influential (1) to least influential (5)

1. Television

2. Internet

3. Newspaper

4. Radio

5. Magazine

Homework....

Look at the question post in Google Classroom!

​

It is titled...

​

What is Public Opinion? Homework​ Questions