Public Opinion Flashcards, test questions and answers

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What is Public Opinion?

Public opinion is the collective view of a population on a certain issue. It is shaped by many factors including media, government, family values and education. Public opinion can be influenced through the use of surveys, polls, focus groups, and other research methods. Public opinion can also be shaped by social movements or even through the use of propaganda. Public opinion plays an important role in public policy-making because it gives decision makers an idea of what the general population wants to see happen. For example, when a government introduces a new policy or law related to taxes or labor rights, public opinion will influence whether people support it or not. Similarly, when there is a major crisis such as terrorism or natural disaster, public opinion will shape how governments respond to it and what policies they implement in order to address it. Public opinion can also have an impact on elections as well as public discourse about controversial topics such as abortion and same-sex marriage. People tend to vote for candidates that are aligned with their own views on these issues and debate them accordingly in politics and the media which in turn shapes public opinion further. In conclusion, public opinion is an important factor that shapes political decisions in countries around the world but should not be taken too seriously since it often reflects short-term emotions rather than long-term interests of society at large.