CHAPTER 16
HOLT
Section 1: What is Public Opinion?
Section 2: Measuring Public Opinion
Section 3: The Media and the Public Good
HOLT, RINEHART
AND
WINSTON
Public Opinion
HOLT
Section 1:
What is Public Opinion?
Objectives:
 What is public opinion, and how does it shape
political events?
 What factors influence public opinion?
 What is the media’s role in influencing public
opinion?
HOLT, RINEHART
AND
WINSTON
Public Opinion
HOLT
Section 1:
What is Public Opinion?
Public opinion:
 is the collective opinion of large numbers of people
 influences government policies as the voice of the
majority of the people on public issues
HOLT, RINEHART
AND
WINSTON
HOLT
Public Opinion
Section 1:
What is Public Opinion?
Factors that influence public opinion:
 ideology
 political socialization
 the media
HOLT, RINEHART
AND
WINSTON
Public Opinion
HOLT
Section 1:
What is Public Opinion?
The media shape public opinion by providing the
public information about policies and issues.
HOLT, RINEHART
AND
WINSTON
Public Opinion
HOLT
Section 2:
Measuring Public Opinion
Objectives:
 What is polling, and how is it used to determine
public opinion?
 What types of polls exist?
 What are some of the main concerns in conducting
a poll?
HOLT, RINEHART
AND
WINSTON
Public Opinion
HOLT
Section 2:
Measuring Public Opinion
Polling:
 a scientific method of surveying a group of people
about their opinions on an issue
 used to determine public opinion by asking a
population representative of the United States or a
specific area questions about what they think about
political candidates, public policy, or any other issue
HOLT, RINEHART
AND
WINSTON
Public Opinion
HOLT
Section 2:
Measuring Public Opinion
Types of polls:
 in-person interviews
 telephone interviews
 mail questionnaires
 exit polls
HOLT, RINEHART
AND
WINSTON
Public Opinion
HOLT
Section 2:
Measuring Public Opinion
Concerns in conducting a poll:
 sampling
 question wording and order
 timing of the poll
HOLT, RINEHART
AND
WINSTON
Public Opinion
HOLT
Section 3:
The Media and the Public Good
Objectives:
 What is the role of the media?
 What are some criticisms of the media?
 What are the checks on media influence?
HOLT, RINEHART
AND
WINSTON
Public Opinion
HOLT
Section 3:
The Media and the Public Good
Roles of the media:
 inform the public
 serve as a watchdog
 act as a gatekeeper
HOLT, RINEHART
AND
WINSTON
Public Opinion
HOLT
Section 3:
The Media and the Public Good
Criticisms of the media:
 bias in the media
 focus on negative or sensational stories
 focus on stories with good visual imagery rather than
on more significant stories without good pictures
 “horse-race coverage”—attention on who is winning
rather than the ideas behind an issue
HOLT, RINEHART
AND
WINSTON
Public Opinion
HOLT
Section 3:
The Media and the Public Good
Checks on media influence:
 public’s lack of attention
 public’s tendency to use the media to reinforce rather
than to form opinions
HOLT, RINEHART
AND
WINSTON
HOLT
1. How does public opinion relate to the political
process?
2. What are some of the factors that influence
public opinion?
3. What has contributed to the increase in
influence the media have over public opinion?
4. How is public opinion measured?
5. Who pioneered the modern American poll?
HOLT, RINEHART
AND
WINSTON
HOLT
6. What issues must one consider when
conducting or examining poll results?
7. Why have exit polls been criticized?
8. What are the most important roles of the
media?
9. What does the media’s gatekeeper function
involve?
10. How do the media promote the public good?
HOLT, RINEHART
AND
WINSTON