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Attitude Stability Attitude Stability and Attitude and Attitude Change Change April 18, 2011 April 18, 2011
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Attitude Stability and Attitude Change

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Attitude Stability and Attitude Change. April 18, 2011. Objectives. By the end of this meeting, you should be able to: Describe the main theories of individual attitude change. Argue whether or not public opinion is sufficiently informed or thought-out to make important choices. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Page 1: Attitude Stability and Attitude Change

Attitude Stability and Attitude Stability and Attitude ChangeAttitude Change

April 18, 2011April 18, 2011

Page 2: Attitude Stability and Attitude Change

ObjectivesObjectivesBy the end of this meeting, you should By the end of this meeting, you should

be able to:be able to:

a)a) Describe the main theories of Describe the main theories of individual attitude change.individual attitude change.

b)b) Argue whether or not public opinion Argue whether or not public opinion is sufficiently informed or thought-out is sufficiently informed or thought-out to make important choices.to make important choices.

c)c) Discuss the contrast in aggregate Discuss the contrast in aggregate and individual-level opinion stability.and individual-level opinion stability.

Page 3: Attitude Stability and Attitude Change

Think About in GroupsThink About in Groupsa)a) How much attention How much attention shouldshould the the

average individual pay attention to average individual pay attention to politics?politics?

b)b) What does survey research show What does survey research show about most individuals and their level about most individuals and their level of political sophistication?of political sophistication?

Page 4: Attitude Stability and Attitude Change

The Lack of AwarenessThe Lack of Awarenessa)a) ““In late 1986…when George Bush was halfway In late 1986…when George Bush was halfway

into his second term as vice-president of the into his second term as vice-president of the United States, 24 percent of the general public United States, 24 percent of the general public either failed to recognize his name or could either failed to recognize his name or could not say what office he held.not say what office he held.

b)b) People at this level of inattentiveness can People at this level of inattentiveness can have only the haziest idea of the policy have only the haziest idea of the policy alternatives about which pollsters regularly alternatives about which pollsters regularly ask them to state opinions, and such ideas as ask them to state opinions, and such ideas as they do have must often be relatively innocent they do have must often be relatively innocent of the effects of elite discourseof the effects of elite discourse”” (Zaller 1992, (Zaller 1992, 16).16).

Page 5: Attitude Stability and Attitude Change

Micro Level OpinionMicro Level Opiniona)a) 1960: The American Voter (Campbell, 1960: The American Voter (Campbell,

Converse, Miller, & Stokes)Converse, Miller, & Stokes)

b)b) Based on data from 1956 found that Based on data from 1956 found that public broke down roughly into:public broke down roughly into:• 12% Ideologues12% Ideologues• 42% Group Benefit42% Group Benefit• 24% Nature of the Times24% Nature of the Times• 22% No issue content22% No issue content

Page 6: Attitude Stability and Attitude Change

Micro Level OpinionMicro Level Opiniona)a) Most voters are unable to name their Most voters are unable to name their

elected representatives or the elected representatives or the positions that national political positions that national political figures holdfigures hold

b)b) Voters are also unable to identify Voters are also unable to identify other countries even those that have other countries even those that have been extensively covered in the been extensively covered in the mediamedia

Page 7: Attitude Stability and Attitude Change

Knowledge and OpinionsKnowledge and Opinionsa)a) While American voters are generally poorly While American voters are generally poorly

informed, differences in information levels informed, differences in information levels are related to certain differences in are related to certain differences in opinionsopinions

b)b) Generally, better informed voters are more Generally, better informed voters are more likely to favor more liberal attitudes on likely to favor more liberal attitudes on social and foreign policy issues than less social and foreign policy issues than less well informed voters.well informed voters.

c)c) On the other hand, less well informed On the other hand, less well informed voters are more likely to favor a more voters are more likely to favor a more liberal attitudes towards government liberal attitudes towards government spending than the more well informed. spending than the more well informed.

Page 8: Attitude Stability and Attitude Change

Depth of OpinionsDepth of Opinionsa)a) Generally opinions are not deeply Generally opinions are not deeply

held within the publicheld within the publicb)b) 1964: The Nature of Belief Systems in Mass 1964: The Nature of Belief Systems in Mass

Publics (Converse) found: Publics (Converse) found: • Lack of opinion Lack of opinion ““constraintconstraint””

a)a) Low association (tau) between individualsLow association (tau) between individuals ’’ attitudes toward similar issues (e.g., attitudes toward similar issues (e.g., employment, education, federal housing).employment, education, federal housing).

• Opinion Opinion ““instabilityinstability””• For some issues, only 20% of the public have For some issues, only 20% of the public have

stable attitudes. The rest, stable attitudes. The rest, ““non attitudesnon attitudes””• Panel Study Panel Study

Page 9: Attitude Stability and Attitude Change

Does Does ideological ideological

inconsistency inconsistency imply imply

irrationality?irrationality?

Page 10: Attitude Stability and Attitude Change

Depth of OpinionsDepth of Opinionsa)a) Partisanship is by far the most stable Partisanship is by far the most stable

opinion/attitude, but it can be thought opinion/attitude, but it can be thought of as more of a personal identifierof as more of a personal identifier

b)b) Many people hold strong opinions on a Many people hold strong opinions on a small number of issuessmall number of issues

c)c) Abortion is one of the most stable Abortion is one of the most stable attitudesattitudes

d)d) Experiments where people are Experiments where people are exposed to counterarguments exposed to counterarguments frequently found changes in opinionsfrequently found changes in opinions

Page 11: Attitude Stability and Attitude Change

Depth of OpinionsDepth of Opinionsa)a) Converse is known for positing the Converse is known for positing the

idea of non-attitudes (sometimes idea of non-attitudes (sometimes referred to as a top of the head referred to as a top of the head response)response)

b)b) Other explanations for response Other explanations for response instability:instability:• Measurement error Measurement error • Response probabilityResponse probability

c)c) Which of these is most troubling for Which of these is most troubling for democracy?democracy?

Page 12: Attitude Stability and Attitude Change

The Problem of IdeologyThe Problem of Ideologya)a) Ideological terms like liberal and Ideological terms like liberal and

conservative are frequently used by conservative are frequently used by academics, pundits and newspapers as academics, pundits and newspapers as a way to categorize issues, approaches a way to categorize issues, approaches and attitudesand attitudes

b)b) These labels are very different by These labels are very different by countrycountry

c)c) Despite their prevalence most voters Despite their prevalence most voters are uncomfortable with the terms and are uncomfortable with the terms and frequently use them incorrectlyfrequently use them incorrectly• American Voter (1960) American Voter (1960) • StimsonStimson

Page 13: Attitude Stability and Attitude Change

PartisanshipPartisanshipa)a) Most Americans (roughly 9 out of 10) Most Americans (roughly 9 out of 10)

classify themselves as partisan either classify themselves as partisan either strong, weak or leaningstrong, weak or leaning

b)b) Generally stronger partisans tend to be Generally stronger partisans tend to be better informed and hold stronger and better informed and hold stronger and more extreme attitudes towards issuesmore extreme attitudes towards issues

c)c) Citizens are able to differentiate the Citizens are able to differentiate the parties on the issues and the sense parties on the issues and the sense that parties are further apart on the that parties are further apart on the issues is growing in the electorateissues is growing in the electorate

Page 14: Attitude Stability and Attitude Change

Party IdentificationParty Identificationa)a) Psychological attachment or Psychological attachment or ‘‘affective orientationaffective orientation’’ (American (American Voter)Voter)

b)b) ‘‘Running TallyRunning Tally’’ (Fiorina) (Fiorina)

Page 15: Attitude Stability and Attitude Change

Converting Information into Converting Information into OpinionsOpinions

a)a) Functional theories: KatzFunctional theories: Katz• UtilitarianUtilitarian• Ego defenseEgo defense• KnowledgeKnowledge• Value-expressiveValue-expressive

b)b) Functional theories: Downs (1958)- voters Functional theories: Downs (1958)- voters use use instrumental rationalityinstrumental rationality or use a or use a cost/benefit analysis when it comes to cost/benefit analysis when it comes to opinionsopinions• How would this work?How would this work?• Does it seem likely to occur this way?Does it seem likely to occur this way?

Page 16: Attitude Stability and Attitude Change

Converting Information into Converting Information into OpinionsOpinions

c)c) Learning TheoryLearning Theory• Hovland, Janis, KellyHovland, Janis, Kelly• Transfer of affectTransfer of affect• On line processing (Lodge, Steenbergen and Brau)On line processing (Lodge, Steenbergen and Brau)

d)d) Elaboration Likelihood ModelElaboration Likelihood Model• Central routeCentral route• Peripheral routePeripheral route

e)e) Receive-Accept-Sample (Zaller)Receive-Accept-Sample (Zaller)• What does it mean for survey design?What does it mean for survey design?

Page 17: Attitude Stability and Attitude Change

DiscussionDiscussiona)a) Is the American public informed Is the American public informed

enough to make the necessary enough to make the necessary political choices?political choices?

b)b) How do people with low levels of How do people with low levels of political information make political political information make political choices?choices?

c)c) Why is the public so poorly informed?Why is the public so poorly informed?

d)d) Paradox of aggregate-level opinion.Paradox of aggregate-level opinion.

Page 18: Attitude Stability and Attitude Change

For Next TimeFor Next Timea)a) Read Clawson & Oxley, Chapters 11 & Read Clawson & Oxley, Chapters 11 &

1212

b)b) Which would you rather have: Elected Which would you rather have: Elected officials who stick to their campaign officials who stick to their campaign promises rigidly or elected officials who promises rigidly or elected officials who make policy decisions based on public make policy decisions based on public opinion polls? Why?opinion polls? Why?

c)c) Given the evidence in chapter 11, would Given the evidence in chapter 11, would you say public policy in the U.S. is a you say public policy in the U.S. is a clear reflection of public preferences? clear reflection of public preferences? Why or why not?Why or why not?