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.

Chapter Preview-End

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 1-End

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 2-End

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%

Section 3-End

VS 1

VS-End

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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