Public Opinion, Mass Public Opinion, Mass Media, and Interest Media, and Interest GroupsGroups

Chapter 11 Section 1, 2, and Chapter 11 Section 1, 2, and 33

Public OpinionPublic Opinion Public Opinion- ideas and attitudes Public Opinion- ideas and attitudes

that most people hold about a that most people hold about a particular issue or personparticular issue or person

Public Opinion helps shape the Public Opinion helps shape the decisions of every Presidentdecisions of every President

Presidents need the support of the Presidents need the support of the public and Congress to carry out public and Congress to carry out programs– they are more likely to programs– they are more likely to have support if their popularity with have support if their popularity with the public is highthe public is high

Personal BackgroundPersonal Background AgeAge GenderGender IncomeIncome RaceRace ReligionReligion OccupationOccupation Place of residencePlace of residence

Ex. A young wealthy person from a big city Ex. A young wealthy person from a big city will have different views about government will have different views about government than a poor elderly woman from a small than a poor elderly woman from a small towntown

Interest Interest GroupsGroups

Interest Group- group of people who Interest Group- group of people who share a similar point of view about an share a similar point of view about an issue and unite to promote their issue and unite to promote their beliefsbeliefs

Interest groups try to persuade public Interest groups try to persuade public officials toward their point of viewofficials toward their point of view

Features of Public Features of Public OpinionOpinion Direction- Positive or negativeDirection- Positive or negative

– Most of the time its mixed- some think Most of the time its mixed- some think positive, some think negativepositive, some think negative

Intensity- Strength of an opinionIntensity- Strength of an opinion– When Americans have strong opinions on an When Americans have strong opinions on an

issue, many are willing to act upon them by issue, many are willing to act upon them by voting for or against a candidate or voting for or against a candidate or participating in a demonstrationparticipating in a demonstration

Stability- How firmly people hold to their Stability- How firmly people hold to their viewsviews– People’s opinions are less likely to change People’s opinions are less likely to change

when they have a firm beliefwhen they have a firm belief

Measuring Public Measuring Public OpinionOpinion Public Opinion Polls- survey in which Public Opinion Polls- survey in which

individuals are asked to answer questions individuals are asked to answer questions about a particular issue or personabout a particular issue or person– How good of a job is President Obama doing?How good of a job is President Obama doing?– Do you support sending more troops to Iraq?Do you support sending more troops to Iraq?– Do you support universal healthcare?Do you support universal healthcare?– How satisfied are you with your Senators?How satisfied are you with your Senators?

Pollster- person who regularly conducts Pollster- person who regularly conducts pollspolls

Random Samples- group of people picked Random Samples- group of people picked at random from all over the USat random from all over the US– Usually 1,500, men, women, all races, Usually 1,500, men, women, all races,

incomes, ages and viewpointsincomes, ages and viewpoints

Measuring Public Measuring Public Opinion cont.Opinion cont. Pollsters must be careful how they Pollsters must be careful how they

word their questions so they do not word their questions so they do not influence peopleinfluence people

Push Polls- polls in which questions are Push Polls- polls in which questions are worded to influence a person’s worded to influence a person’s responseresponse

Pros- people in office keep up with Pros- people in office keep up with citizen’s changing ideas about issuescitizen’s changing ideas about issues

Cons- people in office are more Cons- people in office are more concerned with pleasing the public concerned with pleasing the public than political leadershipthan political leadership

Mass MediaMass Media

Print Media- newspapers, magazines, Print Media- newspapers, magazines, and booksand books

Electronic Media- TV, radio, and Electronic Media- TV, radio, and internetinternet

Public Agenda- issues that receive the Public Agenda- issues that receive the most time, money and effort from most time, money and effort from government leadersgovernment leaders

When the media publicizes a problem When the media publicizes a problem people begin to worry about it and the people begin to worry about it and the government must address itgovernment must address it

Interest GroupsInterest Groups

Private Interest Groups- promote special Private Interest Groups- promote special interest of their membersinterest of their members– National Association for the Advancement of National Association for the Advancement of

Colored PeopleColored People– National Organization for WomenNational Organization for Women– National Education AssociationNational Education Association– American Medical AssociationAmerican Medical Association– National Rifle AssociationNational Rifle Association– American Automobile AssociationAmerican Automobile Association– People for the Ethical Treatment of AnimalsPeople for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

Give members incentives to joinGive members incentives to join

Public Interest GroupsPublic Interest Groups

Public Interest Groups- promote Public Interest Groups- promote special interest of all, not just special interest of all, not just membersmembers– League of Women Voters League of Women Voters – Sierra ClubSierra Club

Political Action Committees (PACS)- Political Action Committees (PACS)- collect money from the members of collect money from the members of their group and use it to support their group and use it to support some candidates and oppose otherssome candidates and oppose others

LobbyistLobbyist

Lobbyists- representatives of Lobbyists- representatives of interest groups who contact interest groups who contact government officials directlygovernment officials directly

Named this as they used to wait in Named this as they used to wait in the lobby to ask politicians for the lobby to ask politicians for favorsfavors

Prepare their own drafts of billsPrepare their own drafts of bills Try and make sure laws are Try and make sure laws are

enforced and upheld in courtenforced and upheld in court

LobbyistsLobbyists

Pros- make Pros- make

government more government more

responsive, responsive,

communicate people’s communicate people’s

wishes to politicianswishes to politicians Cons- have too much say in Cons- have too much say in

government, monetary contributions government, monetary contributions give them improper influence over give them improper influence over governmentgovernment