Public Opinion

Post papers to Canvas 

This week, I will put up a guide to studying for the final.

For Wednesday, https://libguides.sandiego.edu/fakenews 

What is public opinion?

Attitudes: "evaluative" and "affective" orientations:  approve/disapprove and like/dislike

Knowledge (Lowi 288-289):  Most people, most of the time, know very little about politics.

• Constitutional and institutional knowledge
• "From the River to the Sea"
• Auschwitz
• Location of Korea, Iran, and Ukraine on a map.
• Dihydrogen monoxide

Sources of public opinion (Lowi 277)

Self-interest

Madison, Federalist 10: "As long as the reason of man continues fallible, and he is at liberty to exercise it, different opinions will be formed. As long as the connection subsists between his reason and his self­love, his opinions and his passions will have a reciprocal influence on each other; and the former will be objects to which the latter will attach themselves."

Socialization

Family and Identity:  direct and indirect influence

Ideology (Lowi 279-280)

Trump Approval

Trade:  impact of education and party

Measuring Public Opinion

• Polls and Surveys: FAQs
• Response rates
• Nonresponse bias
• Nonattitudes (or pseudo-opinions): Agrabah and Panetta-Burns
• Question wording: the example of civil rights