Political Socialization and Opinion Formation: Family, Education, and Political Conditions, Study notes of Local Government Studies

Download Political Socialization and Opinion Formation: Family, Education, and Political Conditions and more Study notes Local Government Studies in PDF only on Docsity! Public Opinion Coherency of Opinion Spending on: Education Health Environment [Too high MIN About right lll Too low  Consensus and Debate •Americans agree on many things, such as our values (liberty, equality, democracy) = consensus •We also have vigorous and sometimes contentious debate in politics • Sometimes our debates are so great that some have sought to stifle free expression •Alien and Sedition Acts •McCarthyism Political Socialization The processes by which political values are formed Agents of socialization:  Family  Education  Social, political, religious groups  Prevailing political conditions Political Conditions as Agents of Socialization • Inspiration or recruitment by politicians or political movements —> greater political awareness • Coming of political age at a particular time can have a powerful impact on a person’s political values throughout his or her life. Age Effects: Gay Marriage EDUCATION DROP- HIGH SOME COLLEGE ISSUES OUT SCHOOL COLLEGE GRAD. 1. Women and men should have 45% 72% 84% 85% equal roles. 2. Abortion should never be allowed. 31 16 1 5 3. The government should adopt national health insurance. 50 43 38 37 4, The US. should not concern itself with other nations’ problems. 27 34 27 2 5. Government should see to fair treatment in jobs for African Americans. 24 33 32 43 6. Government should provide fewer services to reduce government spending. 18 3 19 31 ‘SOURCE: The American National Election Studies, 2000 data, provided by the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research, University of Michigan. ‘Should Government Limit Abortions? Should Government Provide Jobs? No high schoo! 82 _LEVELOF 125 Nobigh schoo! High school 135 EDUCATION 2 High schoo! More than 12 years a1 -19 More than 12 years College degree 6 42 College degree Advanced degree m1 2a Advanced deg Under $25,000 a FAMILY INCOME 179 Under $5,000 95000-59990 47 35 000-58 999 $80,000-29998 $60,000-89 99 Predictors of Public Opinion Black 32 AUIAL GHUUE 20.7 Black hispanic 3 128 Hispanic White 5 60 White Asian 2 mM Asian Mainne Protestant 3 RELIGIOUS 106 Maintne Protestant Evangelical Protestant 164 AFFILIATION. 69 Evangelical Protestant Catholic 1 Catholic a 515: 52 Jewish 85 Other Male uM sex a Mate Female aa 87 Fomale Ve ry Lib era l Lib era l Sli gh tly Li be ral Mo de rat e Sli gh tly Co ns erv ati ve Co ns erv ati ve Ve ry Co ns erv ati ve Income Education Predictors of American Political Ideology (1948-2002)