American Government › Section F · Public opinion › Topic F.3
What the public thinks
Americans disagree about many things, but their opinions follow patterns: by party, by group and by event. Knowing those patterns, and the poll numbers behind them, helps you read the political news without being misled by any single survey.
In this topic
- Stable foundations, shifting views
- Shortcuts and rational ignorance
- Groups and opinion
- Opinion leaders and elite cues
- Party identification and independents
- Polarisation
- Opinion on an issue: same-sex marriage
- Worked example: reading the marriage numbers
- Opinion about institutions
- Worked example: the rally effect
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Key takeaways
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