American Government and Politics Today, Brief Edition, 2014-2015

CHAPTER SIx • PublIC OPInIOn, POlITICAl SOCIAlIzATIOn, And THE MEdIA 119

Peer Group

A group consisting

of members who

share common social

characteristics. Such

groups play an important

part in the socialization

process, helping to shape

attitudes and beliefs.

Opinion Leader

One who is able to

influence the opinions of

others because of position,

expertise, or personality.

Media

The channels of mass

communication.

Agenda Setting

Determining which public-

policy questions will be

debated or considered.

stantly. Because children have such a strong need for parental approval, they are very

receptive to their parents’ views.

Children are less likely to influence their parents, because parents expect deference

from their children.^1 Nevertheless, other studies show that if children are exposed to politi-

cal ideas at school and in the media, they will share these ideas with their parents, giving

the parents what some scholars call a “second chance” at political socialization.

Education as a Source of Political Socialization. From the early days of the republic,

schools were perceived to be important transmitters of political information and attitudes.

Children in the primary grades learn about their country mostly in patriotic ways. They

learn about the Pilgrims, the flag, and some of the nation’s presidents. In the middle

grades, children learn additional historical facts and come to understand the structure of

government and the functions of the president, judges, and Congress. By high school,

students have a more complex understanding of the political system, may identify with a

political party, and may take positions on issues.

Generally, the more education a person receives, the more likely it is that the person

will be interested in politics, be confident in his or her ability to understand political issues,

and be an active participant in the political process.

Peers and Peer group Influence. Once a child enters school, the child’s friends become

an important influence on behavior and attitudes. For children and for adults, friendships

and associations in peer groups affect political attitudes. We must, however, separate

the effects of peer group pressure on attitudes in general from the effects of peer group

pressure on political opinions. For the most part, associations among peers are nonpoliti-

cal. Political attitudes are more likely to be shaped by peer groups when those groups are

involved directly in political activities. For example, individuals who join an interest group

based on ethnic identity, may find a common political bond through working for the

group’s civil liberties and rights.

Opinion leaders’ Influence. We are all influenced by those with whom we are closely

associated or whom we hold in high regard—friends at school, family members and other

relatives, and teachers. In a sense, these people are opinion leaders, but on an informal

level. That is, their influence on our political views is not necessarily intentional or deliber-

ate. We are also influenced by formal opinion leaders, such as presidents, lobby ists, con-

gresspersons, news commentators, and religious leaders, who have as part of their jobs

the task of swaying people’s views.

The Media and Public Opinion

Clearly, the media—newspapers, television, radio, and Internet sources—strongly influ-

ence public opinion. This is because the media inform the public about the issues and

events of our times and thus have an agenda-setting effect. To borrow from Bernard

Cohen’s classic statement about the media and public opinion, the media may not be suc-

cessful in telling people what to think, but they are “stunningly successful in telling their

audience what to think about.”^2

The Popularity of the Media. Today, many contend that the media’s influence on pub-

lic opinion has grown to equal that of the family. For example, in her analysis of the role

1. Barbara A. Bardes and Robert W. Oldendick, Public Opinion: Measuring the American Mind,
   4th ed. (Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2012).


2. Bernard C. Cohen, The Press and Foreign Policy (Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1963), p. 81.

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