PS 101 1st Edition Lecture 6Outline of Last Lecture I. Review of Basic PrinciplesII. Legislative Branch-Article I-Checks on Legislature III. Executive Branch-Article II-Checks on the PresidentIV. Judicial Branch-Article III-Checks on the JudiciaryV. Federalism-Constitutional Provisions-Ratifications VI. Changing the Constitution-ProcessOutline of Current LectureI. Basics of Political SocializationII. Agents of Socialization -Families, School, Peer Groups, Media, EventsIII. Patterns of Political Socialization-Preschool, Elementary School, Adolescence, Adulthood, Old AgeIV. Socialization Across Time-Life Cycle Effects, Period Effects, Cohort EffectsV. Political Culture-Components-Comparisons Current LectureThe Development of Political Attitudes:I. Basics of Political SocializationA. Definition1. The process by which an individual’s political opinions are shapedThese notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.by other people and the surrounding culture; includes theories also2. Answering the question of why people hold the political beliefs that they doB. Dimensions of political socialization 1. Ideology and/or party identification (Democrat vs Republican;Liberal vs Conservative)2.Specific policy attitudes 3. Patterns of behavior (do they talk about politics a lot and voteregularly or are they apolitical)C. Two Principles1.Primacy principlea. What is learned first is learned best; cemented into yourmind.2. Structuring principlea. What is learned first structures what is learned later.3. Together, these explain why childhood experiences are so important for later beliefs and attitudes— not deterministic, but shapes ideas.II. Agents of SocializationA. Families1. Children come to see what their family views as good or bad, whatthey value, what they believe 2. Stronger effects when families talk about politics more3. Research shows that families generally have homogenous political beliefsa. e.g., about 4/5th of spouses share a party identification.4. In families with homogenous political beliefs, children receiveconsistent messagesa. When both parents are Democrats and Republicans, children tend to share that identification.b. When both are Independents, children overwhelmingly share that identification.c. Why the difference?i.Children receive consistent messages when both parents have the same party identification compared to children of Independents who see their parents feel very strongly about the Independent party—it’s a part of their identity and theyshare that with their kids.B. Schools1. More general effects (patriotism, following the law)2. Comparing democracies vs. autocracya. Children are taught about parties in democracies vs taught whatis good and right in autocracies— conformity.C. Peer groups1. Affect attitudes and propensity to participate 2. Why do we see conformity in these groups?a. People choose groups they are similar to; peer pressure.3. Primary Groupsa. Agents of socialization with which people have regular face-to-face interactions (family, friends, classmates, coworkers).4. Secondarya. More large scale and diffuse (religious, civic, and professional organizations).5. Social/Demographic Groupsa. Gender, race, education level, region of country.b. Sometimes these strongly associated with opinions, andsometimes not as strong.D. Media1. News and entertainment programsa. TV shows (House of Cards; The Simpsons/Family Guy; The Daily Show).b. Can affect public views.E. Events1. Can cause people to revise their fundamental beliefs a. September 11th attacks, being drafted, etc.2. Some are individual in nature3. Others affect large groups III. Patterns of Political SocializationA. Preschool1. Basic concepts—president, police, patriotism2. Children have only vague and often inaccurate conceptions3. Start to get sense that a world exists outside of their families with rules to be followed and people in chargeB. Elementary School1. Further develop basic concepts— What is government? Who are the different actors?2. Often begin to attach to a particular political party (~3rd/4th grade)C. Adolescence1. Peer groups become more important; may split from parents’ views a. Part of adolescent rebellion or they just have different ideas.2. Formal participation becomes impossible3. More developed ideas of politics, but still somewhat idealistica. They may believe major change is possible overnight if the rightperson is elected.D. Adulthood1. Participation increasesa. By age 34 you start voting if you are going to do so— likely to do so the rest of your life then. 2. Beliefs solidifya. Uncertain beliefs or party identifications become stronger the older people get.3. But, life experiences tend to moderate people’s views somewhatE. Old Age1.Participation often declines, but beliefs stay entrenchedIV. Socialization Across TimeA. Life cycle effects1. Changes in beliefs/behavior that occur with a particular stagein life 2. e.g., Having children often affects people’s beliefs on certain political mattersB. Period effects1. Changes in beliefs/behavior that occur for people of all ages in reaction to a major event 2. e.g., Great Depression, September 11th terrorist attacksC. Cohort effects1. Impact of a historical event on one specific group of people 2. e.g. Men who were draft age during the Vietnam WarV. Political CultureA. Definition1. The collective political attitudes, values, feelings, information,andskills of the people in a society2. Common perceptions of the rights and obligations of citizenship and the rules for participating in the political processa. Some value political participation, patriotism, etc. whileothers do not.3. Enduring, stable, and cross-generationalB. Components of Political Culture1. Strength of national identity 2. Trust in peoplea. Do people trust who they are around to make their decisions?3. Political efficacya. How much impact do you believe you can have individually?4. Confidence in government institutionsa. Do government institutions work?5. Citizens’ duties and obligationsa. Is participation needed?6. Openness of political conflict a. Is politics openly debated in the public, or only talked about with people you know well?C. Comparing Political Cultures1. Different democracies can have quite different political cultures2. The Civic Culturea. Famous book by Gabriel Almond and Sidney Verba (1963).b.