Unit 4: Political Socialization, Public Opinion, and Ideology

The process by which people form their political attitudes

• Media

• Political Socialization

• Public Agenda

• Intensity

A method of systematically polling a selected group of people who are representative of the total population

• Media

• Public Agenda

• Opinion Poll

• Political Socialization

The difference between what the sample results show and what the true result would be if everyone had been interviewed

• Political Socialization

• Intensity

• Sampling Error

• Public Agenda

An organized group of individuals who make policy-related appeals to government

• Media

• Public Agenda

• Interest Groups

• Bureaucracy

Define public opinion.

• Individual opinions and preferences of public figures.

• The opinions of a select group of individuals.

• Collective beliefs, attitudes, and sentiments of the general public on a particular issue or topic.

• The opinions of experts and professionals on a particular issue.

What factors contribute to political socialization?

• Age, gender, and race.

• Family, education, peers, media, and personal experiences.

• Geography, climate, and natural resources.

• Religion, income, and occupation.

How does public opinion shape political decisions?

• Public opinion shapes political decisions by influencing the priorities and policies of elected officials.

• Public opinion only influences political decisions in non-democratic countries.

• Political decisions are solely based on the personal beliefs of elected officials.

• Public opinion has no impact on political decisions.

What are the different types of media that influence political socialization?

• Television, radio, newspapers, magazines, and the internet.

• Books, movies, and documentaries.

• Social media, billboards, and flyers.

• Podcasts, advertisements, and pamphlets.

What is the most important factor to getting a good poll that best resembles the target population?

• Random Sampling
• A large sample size
• A large sampling error
• Targeted Samples

If a poll comes within this average % of a sampling error, it is considered a good poll.

• 1%
• 3%
• 10%
• 20%