Splash Screen. Chapter Intro 2 Section 1: Forming Public Opinion A democratic society requires the...
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Transcript of Splash Screen. Chapter Intro 2 Section 1: Forming Public Opinion A democratic society requires the...
Splash Screen
Chapter Intro 2
Section 1: Forming Public Opinion
A democratic society requires the active participation of its citizens. Individuals, interest groups, the mass media, and government officials all play a role in shaping public opinion.
Chapter Intro 2
Section 2: The Mass Media
In a democratic society, various forces shape people’s ideas. The media have a profound influence on the ideas and behavior of the American people and their government.
Chapter Intro 2
Section 3: Interest Groups
Political and economic institutions evolve to help individuals and groups accomplish their goals. Interest groups, a powerful force in our democracy, use various techniques to influence public opinion and policy.
Section 1-Main Idea
Guide to Reading
Big Idea
A democratic society requires active participation of its citizens.
Section 1
Public Opinion
Public opinion, the ideas and attitudes most people hold, plays a vital role in our democracy.
Section 1
Public Opinion (cont.)
• Public opinion refers to ideas and attitudes people hold about a particular issue or person.
• Public opinion is of political importance.
Section 1
• Sources of public opinion:
– Personal background (age, gender, income, race, religion, occupation, place of residence)
– Mass media
– Public officials
– Interest groups
Public Opinion (cont.)
Section 1
• Three features of public opinion:
– Direction
– Intensity
– Stability
Public Opinion (cont.)
Section 1
Measuring Public Opinion
The most common way of measuring public opinion is with public opinion polls.
Section 1
Measuring Public Opinion (cont.)
• Public opinion polls measure public opinion.
• Pollster is a specialist who measures the president’s popularity or towards possible proposals
Pre-Election Approval Ratings, 1955–2003
Section 1
• Sampling public opinion:
– People in sample are selected at random
– Well-constructed sample reflects the entire population
– Wording questions to find people’s true opinions
– Push polls worded to influence responses
Measuring Public Opinion (cont.)
Section 1
• Arguments for and against polling:
– Allows officeholders to keep in touch with citizens’ ideas
– Makes officials more concerned with public opinion than leadership and decision-making
– Affect elections and voter turnout
Measuring Public Opinion (cont.)
Section 2-Main Idea
Guide to Reading
Big Idea
In a democratic society, various forces shape people’s ideas.
Section 2
The Media’s Impact
The nation’s media are an important influence on politics and government and also help set the public agenda.
Section 2
The Media’s Impact (cont.)
• The mass media influences politics and government, and connects the people and elected officials.
America’s Use of Mass Media
Section 2
The Media’s Impact (cont.)
• Newspapers, magazines, newsletters, and books as examples of print media
• Radio, television, and the Internet as examples of electronic media
• Influence of profit on news coverage
America’s Use of Mass Media
Section 2
• Influence of the media on:
– The public agenda
– Political candidates
The Media’s Impact (cont.)
America’s Use of Mass Media
Section 2
• Relationship between politicians and journalists
• Purpose of government leaks to the media
• Watchdog role of the mass media
• Conflicts between national security and citizens’ need for information
The Media’s Impact (cont.)
America’s Use of Mass Media
Section 2
Media Safeguards
Freedom of the press is protected by the U.S. Constitution, although some regulation is permitted.
Section 2
Media Safeguards (cont.)
• The government protects the ability of the mass media to operate freely.
• The First Amendment and freedom of the press
• Freedom from prior restraint
• Libel and limits to freedom of the press
• Supreme Court ruled that public officials must prove actual malice, or evil intent, by publisher
Section 2
• The media’s right to keep sources secret
• The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as a regulatory commission of the federal bureaucracy
Media Safeguards (cont.)
Section 3-Main Idea
Guide to Reading
Big Idea
Political and economic institutions evolve to help individuals and groups accomplish their goals.
Section 3-Key Terms
Guide to Reading
Content Vocabulary
• public interest group
• nonpartisan
• political action committee (PAC)
• lobbyist
Academic Vocabulary
• primary • guarantee
A. A
B. B
Section 3-Polling Question
0%0%
Do you agree that groups with greater financial resources can exercise more influence over public policy than groups with fewer financial resources?
A. Agree
B. Disagree
Section 3
Types of Interest Groups
Interest groups are an important part of our democratic process because they influence public policy.
Section 3
Types of Interest Groups (cont.)
• Interest groups are organizations of people who unite to promote their ideas.
Section 3
• Economic interest groups:
– U.S. Chamber of Commerce promoting free enterprise
– Tobacco Institute representing cigarette manufacturers
– AFL-CIO representing workers
– The American Medical Association representing doctors
Types of Interest Groups (cont.)
Section 3
• Other interest groups:
– NAACP improving the lives of African Americans
– NOW representing women’s interests
– AARP promoting interests of older Americans
– Sierra Club protecting nature
– NRA looking after interests of gun owners
Types of Interest Groups (cont.)
Section 3
• Public interest groups working to benefit Americans in general
− League of Women Voters is an example of a nonpartisan, or impartial group
Types of Interest Groups (cont.)
• Interests groups supporting candidates and forming political action committees
• Interest groups bringing cases to court
Section 3
• Interest groups influencing lawmakers by using lobbyists who:
– have a good understanding of how the government functions.
– know which government department to contact about concerns.
– supply lawmakers with useful information that help their own cases.
Types of Interest Groups (cont.)
Section 3
– suggest solutions and problems to lawmakers.
– prepare their own drafts of bills for lawmakers.
– testify in legislative hearings on bills.
– see that laws are enforced.
Types of Interest Groups (cont.)
Section 3
Do you think that interest groups have too much influence in determining the laws and policies of the United States?
A. Yes
B. No
A. A
B. B0%0%
Section 3
Techniques Interest Groups Use
Interest groups use various techniques to influence public opinion and policy.
Section 3
Techniques Interest Groups Use (cont.)
• Interest groups use a variety of techniques to influence public opinion and policy:
– Direct mail
– Advertising
– Organize public events and protests
– Propaganda
Propaganda Techniques
Section 3
• Regulating interest groups:
– Limits on PAC contributions
– Registration and disclosure requirements for lobbyists
– Waiting period before former government officials can become lobbyists
Techniques Interest Groups Use (cont.)
Section 3
• Controversy surrounding interest groups and lobbying
Techniques Interest Groups Use (cont.)
Section 3
Do you agree that the practice of lobbying can easily lead to corruption and should therefore be outlawed?
A. Agree
B. Disagree A. A
B. B
0%0%
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Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
TIME Trans
DFS Trans 1
DFS Trans 2
Voters strongly disagreed about whether to elect Kerry or reelect Bush
DFS Trans 3
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the Association of Trial Lawyers of America
Vocab1
public opinion
the ideas and attitudes that most people hold about elected officials, candidates, government, and political issues
Vocab2
mass media
a mechanism of mass communication, including television, radio, newspapers, magazines, recordings, movies, and books
Vocab3
interest group
a group of people who share a point of view about an issue and unite to promote their beliefs
Vocab4
public opinion poll
a survey in which individuals are asked to answer questions about a particular issue or person
Vocab5
pollster
a specialist whose job is to conduct polls regularly
Vocab6
uniform
consistent or unvarying
Vocab7
gender
a notion of the sex of a person
Vocab8
survey
to determine the size, shape, and position of; to gather information about, as in a poll
Vocab9
print media
newspapers, magazines, newsletters, and books
Vocab10
electronic media
radio, television, and the Internet
Vocab11
public agenda
issues considered most significant by government officials
Vocab12
leak
the release of secret government information by anonymous government officials to the media
Vocab13
prior restraint
government censorship of material before it is published
Vocab14
libel
written untruths that are harmful to someone’s reputation
Vocab15
malice
evil intent
Vocab16
acknowledge
to recognize the existence of or to make something known
Vocab17
benefit
to be useful or profitable to
Vocab18
regulatory
used to describe an agency or body whose function is to control or govern
Vocab19
public interest group
an organization that supports causes that affect the lives of Americans in general
Vocab20
nonpartisan
free from party ties or bias
Vocab21
political action committee (PAC)
political organization established by a corporation, labor union, or other special-interest group designed to support candidates by contributing money
Vocab22
lobbyist
representative of an interest group who contacts lawmakers or other government officials directly to influence their policy making
Vocab23
primary
first in time or importance
Vocab24
guarantee
to promise or give security
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