The Formation Of Public Opinion

Section 1 assessment.

What does it mean to say that there are many different "publics" that help make up public opinion?

To what kinds of issues and affairs is public opinion limited?

What are the two most important early influences on many people's political socialization?

What are the roles of mass media, peer groups, and opinion leaders in influencing public opinion?

What features of peer groups explain why they tend to reinforce rather than challenge what a person believes?

What are some of the public issues that were brought to the forefront of public opinion in the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001?