Research Catalog

Title

Public opinion / Vincent Price.

Author

Price, Vincent.

Publication

Newbury Park : Sage Publications, ©1992.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Description

viii, 112 pages; 23 cm.

Summary

Juxtaposes the work of historians, philosophers, psychologists, political scientists and sociologists in an effort to ponder the knotty conceptual problems that continue to occupy the best minds in the field.--cf. Foreword.

Series Statement

Communication concepts, 1057-7440 ; 4

Uniform Title

Communication concepts ; 4.

Subject

• Public opinion
• Public Opinion
• 05.32 public opinion
• Public opinion
• Öffentliche Meinung
• Publieke opinie
• Opinion publique

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (p. 93-106) and index.

Contents

• Foreword / Ellen Wartella and Steven H. Chaffee -- 1. Introduction. Outline of the Volume -- 2. Problems of Public Opinion. Origins of the Idea. Anticipations and Approximations. Early Conceptions of Opinion. Early Conceptions of Public. The Birth of Public Opinion. Emergence of a Public Sphere. Ambiguities in the Meaning of Public Opinion. Public Opinion and Majority Rule. Public Opinion as an Object of Study. Enduring Problems of Public Opinion. Lack of Competence. Lack of Resources. Tyranny of the Majority. Susceptibility to Persuasion. Domination by Elites -- 3. Conceptualizing the Public. Crowd, Public, and Mass. The Crowd. The Public. The Mass. Issues and Publics. Phases of Development. Actors and Spectators. Expanding Public Debate. After an Issue Is Resolved. Observing the Public. The General Public. The Voting Public. The Attentive Public. The Active Public. Issue Publics -- 4. Conceptualizing Opinions. Opinions and Attitudes. Opinions as Expressions. Opinions as Thoughtful.
• Opinions as Adaptations of Attitudes to Specific Issues. Inferring Psychological Bases for Opinions. Schemata. Values. Group Identifications. Forming Opinions. Observing Opinions. What Is It About? What Are the Choices? Is It Well Considered? How Well Organized? How Strongly Held? Will It Lead to Committed Action? How Does It Relate to Other People? -- 5. Conceptualizing Public Opinion Processes. Collective and Individual Aspects. The Notion of Public Debate. Dynamics of Group Decision Making. Public Debate in Larger Social Settings. Political Actors, Journalists, and the Attentive Public. Public as Spectator. The Roles Played by Journalists. Observing Public Opinion. Using Survey Data. Using Content Analysis. Using Less-Structured Survey Techniques. Observing the Process of Public Debate. Conclusion: Public Opinion as a Communication Concept.

ISBN

• 080394022X
• 9780803940222
• 0803940238
• 9780803940239

LCCN

93143292

OCLC

• ocm29550160
• 29550160
• SCSB-8802395

Owning Institutions

Princeton University Library