- ISBN: 9780133862676 | 0133862674
- Cover: Paperback
- Copyright: 7/16/2014
Providing an in-depth analysis of public opinion, beginning with its origins in political socialization, the impact of the media, the extent and breadth of democratic values, and the role of public opinion in the electoral process, American Public Opinion goes beyond a simple presentation of data to include a critical analysis of the role of public opinion in American democracy.
Robert S. Erikson is Professor of Political Science at Columbia University. He has written widely on American politics and is the coauthor of the following books: Statehouse Democracy (1994); The Macro Polity (2002); and The Timeline of Presidential Elections (2012). He has written articles on US politics for major political science journals including the American Political Science Review, the American Journal of Political Science, the Journal of Politics, and Public Opinion Quarterly among others. He is the past editor of the American Journal of Political Science and of Political Analysis.
Kent L. Tedin is the Kenneth Lay Professor of Political Science at the University of Houston. He served as department chair from 1984 to 2002. He has written extensively on political socialization, notably the influence of families and peers on the filial generation. He has also written a number articles on schools and public opinion, including how charter schools affect the social capital of parents, as well as how race and academic quality attributed to character school affect parent choice. Recently he has written on the dffect on public opinion of president’s “going public.” He has published articles in every major political science journal including the American Political Science Review, the American Journal of Political Science, the Journal of Politics, the Public Opinion Quarterly and others.
In This Section:
I) Brief Table of Contents
II) Detailed Table of Contents
I) Brief Table of Contents
Chapter 1. Public Opinion in Democratic Societies
Chapter 2 Polling: The Scientific Assessment of Public Opinion
Chapter 3. Microlevel Opinion: The Psychology of Opinion-Holding
Chapter 4. Macrolevel Opinion: The Flow of Political Sentiment
Chapter 5. Political Socialization and Political Learning
Chapter 6. Public Opinion and Democratic Stability
Chapter 7. Group Differences in Political Opinions
Chapter 8. The News Media and Political Opinions
Chapter 9. Elections as Instruments of Popular Control
Chapter 10. The Public and Its Elected Representatives
Chapter 11. Public Opinion and the Performance of Democracy
Appendix: The National Election Study and the General Social Survey Questions
II) Detailed Table of Contents
Chapter 1. Public Opinion in Democratic Societies
Public Opinion and Government
Public Opinion Defined
The Evolution of the Public Opinion Poll
The Modern Public Opinion Poll and Its Political Consequences
Sources of Information on Public Opinion
Plan of This Book
Chapter 2 Polling: The Scientific Assessment of Public Opinion
The Value of Polls
Sampling
Question Wording
Polls and Predicting Elections
Conclusion
Chapter 3. Microlevel Opinion: The Psychology of Opinion-Holding
Political Attention and Opinion-Holding
Liberal-Conservative Ideology and the Organization of Opinions
Party Identification and the Organization of Political Opinions
Political Polarization
Chapter 4. Macrolevel Opinion: The Flow of Political Sentiment
The Micro Foundations of Macro Opinion
Trends in Policy Opinions
General Ideological Movement
General Partisan Movement
Presidential Approval
Conclusion: What Moves Public Opinion?
Chapter 5. Political Socialization and Political Learning
The Preadult Years: Socialization to Citizenship
The Agents of Preadult Socialization
College: Higher Education and Its Impact
Personal Predispositions and Political Attitudes
Socialization During Adulthood
The Persistence of Political Orientations
Conclusion
Chapter 6. Public Opinion and Democratic Stability
Support for Democratic Values
Political Consensus
Political Support: Trust and Efficacy
Personality and Democratic Citizenship
Conclusion
Chapter 7. Group Differences in Political Opinions
Socioeconomic Class and Political Opinions
Race and Political Opinions
Age and Political Opinions
Religion and Political Opinions
Geography and Political Opinions
Gender and Political Opinions
Conclusion
Chapter 8. The News Media and Political Opinions
The Evolution of the American Media
Bins and Negativity in the News
Models of Media Effects
Media Content and Political Opinions
Media Change and the Quality of Electoral Decision Making
Political Advertising
The Media and Political Polarization
Chapter 9. Elections as Instruments of Popular Control
Political Campaigns and the Voter
Policy Issues and Voters
Explaining Election Outcomes
Conclusion
Chapter 10. The Public and Its Elected Representatives
Opinion Sharing Between Policymakers and the Public
Political Parties and Representation
Leadership Responsiveness to Public Opinion
Do Elected Officials Need to Follow Public Opinion?
Interest Groups and Democratic Representation
Conclusion
Chapter 11. Public Opinion and the Performance of Democracy
Assessing the Impact of Public Opinion on Policy
Interpreting the Public’s Role in Democracy
The Expansion of Political Participation
Appendix: The National Election Study and the General Social Survey Questions
A-1 Questions from the National Election Studies
A-2 Questions from the General Social Survey
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