The Nature and Origins of Mass Opinion

In this book John Zaller develops a comprehensive theory to explain how people acquire political information from the mass media and convert it into political preferences. Using numerous specific examples, Zaller applies this theory in order to explain the dynamics of public opinion on a broad range of subjects, including both domestic and foreign policy, trust in government, racial equality, and presidential approval, as well as voting behavior in U.S. House, Senate and Presidential elections. Particularly perplexing characteristics of public opinion are also examined, such as the high degree of random fluctuations in political attitudes observed in opinion surveys and the changes in attitudes due to minor changes in the wording of survey questions.

List of contents

List of tables and figures; Preface; 1. Introduction: the fragmented state of opinion research; 2. Information, predispositions, and opinion; 3. How citizens acquire information and convert it into public opinion; 4. Coming to terms with response instability; 5. Making it up as you go along; 6. The mainstream and polarization effects; 7. Basic processes of 'attitude change'; 8. Tests of the one-message model; 9. Two-sided information flows; 10. Information flow and electoral choice; 11. Evaluating the model and looking toward future research; 12. Epilogue: the question of elite domination of public opinion; Measures appendix; References; Index.

Summary

This 1992 book explains how people acquire political information from elites and the mass media and convert it into political preferences.

Product details

• Authors: Zaller John R., John R Zaller, John R. Zaller
• Assisted by: James H. Kuklinski (Editor)
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press Academic
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 28.08.1992
• EAN: 9780521407861
• ISBN: 978-0-521-40786-1
• Dimensions: 149 mm x 226 mm x 16 mm
• Series: Cambridge Studies in Public Opinion and Political Psychology; Print On Demand; Cambridge Studies in Public Op; Print on Demand; Cambridge Studies in Public Opinion and Political Psychology; Cambridge Studies in Public Op
• Subjects: Education and learning > Teaching preparation > Vocational needs; Social sciences, law, business > Political science > Political science and political education; POLITICAL SCIENCE / General, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Anthropology / General, Sociology and anthropology, Public Opinion & Polls, Public opinion and polls