POLS 1101 Lecture 17 Outline of Last Lecture I Public Opinion in a Democratic System II Measuring Public Opinion A Early Attempts B Random Sampling C Possible Biases III Political Attitudes and Socialization IV Political Attitudes and Interests V Group Attachments VI The American Creed Outline of Current Lecture I Fundamental Information Lack of Knowledge and Apathy II Fundamental Attitudes A Ideology B Partisanship III Party Identification 1952 2012 Responds to economy presidential approval IV How volatile is opinion A Opinion on Immigration V 1 B Opinion on Immigration V 2 V Opinion and Major Events Support for Nuclear Power VI Priming and Framing Public Support for Offshore Drilling VII Opinion as a Thermostat Defense Spending VIII Presidential Approval Rating Four Causes Role in Elections Policy Current Lecture I Fundamental Information Lack of Knowledge and Apathy Americans lack political knowledge a 2 3 of American adults cannot name the chief justice of the Supreme Court b Is this a problem Rational Ignorance Non attitudes same people change their minds from one time point to the next most people don t have coherence in their answer to political questions nobody really cares Noise has a way of canceling out II Fundamental Attitudes A Ideology A coherent organized set of ideas founded on basic principles a Conservative normally republican tried true laisse fair fewer regulations smaller taxes smaller spending pro life anti gay marriage o Other countries believe in class system and monarchy b Liberal France Germany illegal alien America believe in change and a more involved government social policies that leave things up to the individual pro choice etc Ideological constraint choose opinions to be in line with a certain ideology Political ideologies range from communism to fascism B Partisanship Loyalty or psychological attachment to a political party o Some states you have to register by a party do you identify with one party or another o Democrat or Republican Individuals tend to be stable in their party identification Party ID is the best predictor of vote choice Ideology partisanship and group attachments shape specific attitudes about policy and politicians III Party Identification 1952 2012 Responds to economy presidential approval IV How volatile is opinion A Opinion on Immigration V 1 B Opinion on Immigration V 2 V Opinion and Major Events Support for Nuclear Power VI Priming and Framing Public Support for Offshore Drilling VII Opinion as a Thermostat Defense Spending VIII Presidential Approval Rating Four Causes Role in Elections Policy
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