| Term | Definition |
|---|
| Public Opinion | The collected attitudes of citizens on a given issue or question. |
| Why is it important to understand public opinion? | Because it is a democracy, So, there must be some link between what the public thinks, and what the government does. The nature of that link can vary greatly. |
| Who is most interested in public opinion? | Elected Officials, Academics, The people |
| Where does public opinion come from? | We learn these things; they occur throughout our lives:Generational effects,Life cycle effects,Period effects |
| Generational effects | specific age group uniquely affected by set of historical events (Vietnam, Great Depression) |
| Life cycle effects | political views are influenced by maturation (Churchill's focus) |
| Period effects | historical events affect everyone (end of Cold War caused everyone to want to spend less on defense) |
| Political Socialization, agents? | A complex process through which individuals become aware of politics, learn political facts, and form political values./ Family School Community and Peers Mass Media Interest Groups Education |
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