This course explores the structure and dynamics of public opinion, providing a broad – based introduction to the relationship between the scenes of action, the human picture of that scene of action, the human response to that picture working itself out upon the scene of action. The following issues will be handled:
1. The world outside and the picture in our heads.
2. Approaches to the World outside.
3. Stereotypes.
4. Interests.
5. Newspapers.
6. The appeal to Public.
7. The appeal to reason.
Intended Learning Outcomes
- Understand the effect of the news media on the sequence of outcomes that collectively shape and define public opinion
- Recognize media effect from simple awareness to behavioral outcomes.
- Explain what opinions are and how they are formed.
- Describe properties of public opinion at the individual and aggregate levels.
- Evaluate political psychological theories and normative arguments about public opinion.
- Evaluate the quality of empirical public opinion research.
- Explain and apply quantitative and qualitative methods to the study of public opinion.