130 CHAPTER 5|PUBLIC OPINION AND THE MEDIA
sometimes respond to events by modifying their opinions, for many individuals the
ideas learned during childhood shape their political opinions throughout their lives.^23
Beyond the infl uence of parents and family, research fi nds broader aspects of
socialization that shape political opinions. Consider the following fi ve examples:
People are socialized by their communities—by the people they interact with while
growing up, such as neighbors, teachers, clergy, and others.^24 Support for democ-
racy as a system of government and for American political institutions is higher
for individuals who take a civics class in high school.^25 Growing up in a homog-
enous community, where many people share the same cultural, ethnic, or politi-
cal beliefs, increases an adult’s sense of civic duty—his belief that voting or other
forms of political participation are important social obligations.^26 Volu nt e e r i n g i n
community organizations as a child shapes political beliefs and participation in
later life.^27 Engaging in political activity as a teenager, such as volunteering in a
presidential campaign, generates higher levels of political interest as an adult; it
also strengthens the belief that people should care about politics and participate in
political activities.^28 As indicated by the range of activities and interactions sum-
marized here, many aspects of socialization can infl uence one’s political outlook.Events
Although socialization often inf luences individuals’ fairly stable core beliefs,
public opinion is not fixed. All kinds of events—from everyday interactions
to traumatic, life-changing disasters—can capture a person’s attention and
cause her to revise her understanding of politics and the role of government.
For example, though an individual’s initial partisan affiliation likely reflects
her parents’ leanings, it may change in response to subsequent events such as
who runs for office, what platforms they campaign on, and their performance in
office—especially if those factors affect the individual directly.^29CHILDREN TEND TO ADOPT THEIR
parents’ ideology and party
affi liation. Senator Rand Paul
(right) and his father, the
presidential candidate and
House member Ron Paul, are
both Republicans and share a
libertarian ideology.