Public Opinion: Measuring the American Mind

Abstract

Preface Part I: Public Opinion and American Democracy Chapter 1: Public Opinion and American Democracy Defining Public Opinion Does Public Opinion Matter? Public Opinion vs. Public Judgment Opinions, Attitudes, and Beliefs The Current Environment The Plan of the Book Polls, Polling, and the Internet Chapter 2: Measuring American Opinion: The Origins of Polling The Origins of Public Opinion Polling The Development of Survey Research The Election of 1948: A Temporary Setback After 1948: Continued Growth A Surge in Telephone Interviewing: The Development of Random-Digit Dialing The Rise of Internet Polling Polls, Polling, and the Internet Part II: How Are Opinions Measured and Used? Chapter 3: How Public Opinion Data Are Used Using Public Opinion in Political Campaigns Benchmark Polls Tracking Polls Pseudo-Polls The Use of Public Opinion Polling by Officeholders The Use of Polling Data by Government Agencies Use by Federal Agencies Counting Americans: the Census and Polls State Government Local Government Public Opinion and Interest Groups The Use of Polling by the Media Tracking Presidential Approval Ratings The Call-In Poll Use by Academic Researchers The American National Election Studies The General Social Survey Polls, Polling, and the Internet Chapter 4: How Are Opinions Measured? Modes of Survey Data Collection Populations of Interest Selecting a Sample Random-Digit Dialing Sampling for Electronic Data Collection Sampling Error Sample Size Sample Selection for Different Modes: Some Examples Questionnaire Design Type of Question Filter Questions Tone of Wording Middle Alternatives Response Format Order of Alternatives Context Effects Data Analysis Polls, Polling, and the Internet Part III: What Do Americans Believe? Chapter 5: The Sources of Opinions The Political Learning of Children and Adolescents The Influence of Formal Education The Curriculum Ritual and Ceremony School Behaviors The School as a Sorter Mechanism The Influence of Ethnic Identity African Americans Hispanic, Asian, and Native Americans Religion and Public Opinion The Evangelicals The Catholics Jewish Opinions Religiosity as an Explanation Gender and Opinions The Influence of Peers Generational Influences on Opinion The Media's Influence on Opinion Supplying Information Setting the Agenda Conveying Messages Polls, Polling, and the Internet Chapter 6: What the Public Knows about Politics Early Empirical Investigations Applying Democratic Principles Group Differences in Knowledge The Consequences of Political Knowledge A Glass Half-Full Perspective? Polls, Polling, and the Internet Chapter 7: Political Orientations Political Ideology Party Identification Confidence in Institutions Trust in Government Power of the Federal Government Power of the Federal Government Summary Polls, Polling, and the Internet Chapter 8Public Opinion on Social-Welfare Issues Social-Welfare Issues Social Security Education Health Care Assisting the Needy The Environment The Issue of Global Warming Group Differences in Attitudes Summary Polls, Polling, and the Internet Chapter 9: Americans' Views on Racial Issues Racial Desegregation Fair Employment Practices Affirmative Action Government Aid to Minority Groups Spending on Racial Issues Other Issues of Race: Historical and Contemporary Black Candidate for President Slavery Civil Rights Interracial Marriage The Increasing Influence of Hispanics Summary Polls, Polling, and the Internet Chapter 10: Public Opinion on Highly Controversial Issues The Politics of Crime and Criminal Justice Perceptions of Crime Perceptions of Punishment The Death Penalty The Politics of Individual Rights Public Opinion toward Abortion Public Opinion toward Gay Issues The Ownership of Guns Thinking about Weapons and Government Controls Immigration: A Mind Divided Summary Polls, Polling, and the Internet Chapter 11: How Americans View Foreign and Defense Policies American Opinion in the Post 9/11 World Public Opinion and Foreign Policy: Which Opinions? Foreign Policy Goals and Priorities Issues of War and Peace The Vietnam Conflict The Persian Gulf War Terrorism, and the Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq Peacekeeping, Rescue, and Other Uses of Military Force Foreign Aid and Other International Issues Foreign Aid The Soviet Union How Do Americans Think about Foreign Policy? The Prudent Use of Force Working from Types Using Cues or Schemas Summary Polls, Polling, and the Internet Part IV: Public Opinion: A Critical Perspective Chapter 12: Challenges Facing Public Opinion Research: Issues of Reliability and Trust Pseudo-Polls Technological Developments Respondent Factors The Cost of Survey Errors The Continuing Case for Polling Conclusion Appendix A: Sources of Public Opinion Data Appendix B: Questions from the American National Election Studies and General Social Surveys Glossary References Index

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