Chapter 6 Public opinion political Socialization and the media
Chapter 6 Public Opinion, Political Socialization and the Media
Defining Public opinion o Public Opinion -the aggregate of individual attitudes or beliefs shared by some portion of the adult population Consensus opinions -when there is general agreement among the citizenry on an issue Divisive opinions when public opinion is polarized between two quite different positions
Defining Public Opinion • Public Opinion – the aggregate of individual attitudes or beliefs shared by some portion of the adult population – Consensus opinions – when there is general agreement among the citizenry on an issue – Divisive opinions – when public opinion is polarized between two quite different positions
Figure 6-1: Consensus opinion No Opinion 2 QUESTION: Do you Disapprove approve or disapprove 10% of the way George W. Bush handled his job as president in the first few weeks after the September 1l terrorist attacks? A prove 88 SOURCE: The Gallup poll, January 23-25, 2003
Figure 6-1: Consensus Opinion No Opinion 2 % Disapprove 10% Approve 88% QUESTION: Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush handled his job as president in the first few weeks after the September 11 terrorist attacks? SOURCE: The Gallup Poll, January 23-25, 2003
Figure 6-2: Divisive Opinion QUESTION: Do No Opinion you approve or disapprove of the 3 way george W. Bush has handled his job as president over the past few weeks? Disapprove 44% Approve 53% SOURCE: The Gallup Poll, January 23-25, 2003
Figure 6-2: Divisive Opinion No Opinion 3 % Disapprove 44% Approve 53% QUESTION: Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush has handled his job as president over the past few weeks? SOURCE: The Gallup Poll, January 23-25, 2003
Aspects of Polling Techniques simple random sample each member of the population has an equal chance of being selected for the sample quota sample -a less accurate technique wherein polling organizations predetermine the characteristics of the needed sample, and then find respondents with those characteristics to fill the slots sampling error -the difference between a samples results and the result if the entire population had been interviewed
Aspects of Polling Techniques • simple random sample – each member of the population has an equal chance of being selected for the sample • quota sample – a less accurate technique wherein polling organizations predetermine the characteristics of the needed sample, and then find respondents with those characteristics to fill the slots • sampling error – the difference between a sample’s results and the result if the entire population had been interviewed