political socialization and political trust dr. brian william smith
TRANSCRIPT
Political Socialization and Political Trust
Dr. Brian William Smith
Learning Objectives
Evaluate how people develop political opinions and how this impacts their political behavior.
Republican Graph
AGENTS OF SOCIALIZATION
The Role of Peers Often Reinforce our
Parents views
We do not tend to discuss politics
Our friends often share our SES and values
What about Primary and Secondary Schools Teach the status
quo
Correlate with our parents
Ritualizes Nationalism
Off To College The Percentage of
people going to college continues to rise
College often correlates with parents SES
The College Effect
Awareness
Indoctrination
Work Peers We work with
people like us
They share our SES
Our views are unlikely to change
The Mass Media and Political Socialization We Receive a lot of
information
Not all of it sticks
Those who could learn the most, watch the least
Why the media is not the great agent of socialization Selective Exposure
Selective Perception
Life as an Agent of Socialization Life Cycle events
Generational Effects
Period Effects
PARTICIPATING IN THE SYSTEM
The Goal of Socialization
Teach The Political Culture What are the Core Beliefs of America?
• Freedom
• Equality
Political Tolerance: Support for the Abstract
Pluralistic Intolerance
Figure 6.1Question: “In order to curb terrorism in this country, do you think it will be necessary for the average person to give up some civil liberties, or not?”
Pluralistic Intolerance II
POLITICAL TRUSTWe Do not Like our Government
Trust the Federal Government?
Waste Taxes?
Crooked?
They Don’t Care
Pay Attention?
Why Does Government Keep Functioning? We Support the basic Consensus of
Government
We have not had the Big Problems