Unit 1 - Introduction to Public Opinion PDF

lOMoARcPSD|50897384 Unit 1 - Introduction to Public Opinion, Definition of Public Opinion, Characteristics B.a Programme (University of Delhi) Scan to open on Studocu Studocu is not sponsored or endorsed by any...

lOMoARcPSD|50897384 Unit 1 - Introduction to Public Opinion, Definition of Public Opinion, Characteristics B.a Programme (University of Delhi) Scan to open on Studocu Studocu is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university Downloaded by Baba Momin ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|50897384 Introduction Definition and characteristics of public opinion, conceptions and characteristics, debates about its role in a democratic political system, uses for opinion poll. The term ‘public opinion’ was coined by philosopher John Locke in the 17th century. However, the concept itself predates Locke. Vox populi or ‘voice of the people’ is a similar Latin concept. Today, public opinion is defined in the following way: collective evaluations expressed by people on politico-social- economical issues, policies, institutions, and individuals. Definition of Public Opinion  In simple terms public opinion means opinions held by the people at a certain time on a certain issue.  Definition of Public Opinion-According to Kimball Young (1946) public opinion consists of opinions held by a public at a certain time.  Cooley holds that public opinion should be regarded as an organised process and not merely as a state of agreement about some questions of the day. Public opinion is not disorganized like a crowd behaviour. Rather it is organized like a group behaviour.  According to Allport (1937), "the term public opinion is given its meaning with reference to a much individual situation in which individuals are expressing themselves or can be called upon to express themselves as favouring or supporting disfavouring and opposing some definite condition, person or proposal of widespread importance in such a proportion, number, intensity and constancy to give rise to the probability of affecting action, directly or indirectly towards the object concerned." Though unclear, this definition points out the nature and function of public opinion in general.  V.V. Akolkar remarks that public opinion refers to that mass of ideas which people have or express on a given issue. According to Kuppuswamy, public opinion consists of opinions held by people of a smaller or a larger community about a particular problem at a certain time.  Individual opinions are, thus, assimilated in public opinion concerning various problems along with ideas, notions and judgements. In public opinion, everybody should not have identical view, but the majority must reach a consensus to call it a public opinion. Thus, public opinion represents the views of the majority and powerful group. Characteristics of Public Opinion  Any opinion which is acceptable to all or at least to most of persons, can be called public opinion.  Public opinion indicates assimilation and combination of opinions of the majority of the group.  In public opinion, the chief characteristics is common acceptance of the group.  In public opinion, the problem or issue around which the opinion is formed must be a problem of the majority of the community.  A public opinion is based on social and cultural unity of the community.  A public opinion is not transitory and disorganised like a crowd. It is organised like a group, can continue for a certain period. But it is also liable to change.  For the formation of public opinion direct and indirect means of communications are essential.  Public opinion can be developed without any spatial or shoulder to shoulder or face to face contact. Downloaded by Baba Momin ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|50897384  Indirect means of communication play a tremendous role in the formation of public opinion.  Public opinion may grow on different problems like political, economic, social and religious issues.  Public opinions become effective chiefly because of related institutions and groups which furnish direct contact and which have, by the large, formal organisations, codes and purposes like political parties, press, Radio, TV etc.  Some are under the impression that public opinion is always guided and determined by rational group judgements. But this assumption is not always correct. Public opinion may not always be formed around true, good and ideal things. Sometimes the majority opinion may not be rational and based on facts.  But public opinion based on such facts may not last longer and here is an occasion when it changes in favour of the correct, just and right. What is Public Opinion? Public opinion is the measure of what the public thinks about a particular issue, party, or individual political figure. Historically, it's been pretty difficult to accurately measure what the public thinks about a particular issue. However, most forms of democracy are based on the understanding that the government will function with the interests of their people in mind. There's a lot of things that come into play when discussing how people form opinions. Developing your opinions about issues affecting the world around us are a lifelong process that social scientists call political socialization. We'll have different life factors than everyone else, but for most people, factors like family beliefs, peer beliefs, education, religious beliefs, and media depictions have the greatest impact on their political opinions. The primacy tendency, or the theory that impressions acquired during childhood are the most long-lasting and influential, says many studies of public opinion. There's a lot of ways to measure public opinion, and there's usually a lot of disagreement about which method is the most accurate. One way to measure public opinion is through examining voter records, but not everyone is eligible to vote, and among those who are eligible to vote, not everyone will vote in a given election. In addition to voting, people can also participate in meetings, protests, and assemblies regarding a particular issue. While it's probably interesting to those involved, this kind of public opinion expression can be pretty hard to measure. Like voting, measuring public opinion by the number of people involved doesn't account for those who were unable to participate. For example, not everyone at a rally necessarily supports the goals of those running the rally. They might just be there to show support for their friends and family. The most-used method of measuring public opinion is the public opinion poll, a survey of a small group of people regarding their opinions about a particular policy area. There are many different ways of conducting a public opinion poll, but the most accurate method is to take a random sample. In a random sample, social scientists attempt to create an unbiased grouping to study by asking a randomly selected group to participate in public opinion polling. Achieving a totally random group can be really hard, but modern polling companies have gained an advantage with the use of random digit dialing. This randomly dials phone numbers and asks the person who answers to participate in polling. Since 70%ofIndianS have a telephone or cell phone, this method allows for almost everyone to have an equal chance of being dialed, thus ensuring a high-quality sample. Downloaded by Baba Momin ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|50897384 In some cases, polling organizations prefer to create an unscientific poll, a method of polling that specifically targets people who would like to register their opinions. A good example of this in terms of social polling would be TV shows like 'Indian Idol,' where respondents are asked to call or text a specific number to express their opinions. In this kind of poll, the polling organization only cares about the opinions of those already engaged with the show. Concept of Public Opinion In simple terms public opinion means opinions held by the people at a certain time on a certain issue. In a narrow sense it may mean a non-contiguous and transitory mass of individuals with a common or general interest. Here, the public may not be held together by face to face or shoulder to shoulder contact. A number of people may scatter in different places, react to a common stimulus provided by indirect and mechanistic means of communication like newspapers, magazines, radios, TVs, motion pictures, posters and pamphlets etc. The public refers to a group of people who are confronted with an issue, divided in their ideas, engage in a discussion over the issue and reach at a decision. According to Kuppuswamy, the term public signifies the general body of persons belonging to a particular community whether it is a small group or a national group or people of the world as a whole. The term public, therefore, implies a noncontiguous but psychological group where there is no face to face or shoulder to shoulder contact. Though the people react to a common stimulus, they are scattered spatially may be all over the world. Public opinion on woman liberation, gender prejudice, role of women in politics and decision-making, public opinion on economic reforms, winning of political parties in ensuing elections are some of the brilliant examples of how public opinion may scatter throughout the world and may spread without any direct personal and face to face, shoulder to shoulder contact. But the reaction is made to a particular common issue. Means of communication play paramount role in the building up and spread of public opinion. In public opinion, there is agreement on certain views and disagreement on others. Group feeling or we feeling helps in the formation and stability of a public opinion which is based on a general issue. In order to be effective, a public opinion must concern the community as a whole, the problem of public opinion would be a problem for most of the members of the community or society. Otherwise, it will not spread and sustain. A community where poverty is not the issue or problem and everyone is much above the poverty line, any issue on poverty will not touch their mind as they are quite well settled economically. But in a conservative society where women are not allowed to go out and work, where there is lot of objections against providing minimum liberty to women like the liberty to get education, to strive for economic independence, and of course the liberty not to tolerate injustice and oppression, in such a male dominated, male chauvinistic society, the real problem of women is to get freedom of speech and action and right to work. At this juncture, any effort to spread public opinion on women liberation will be fruitful among women and such public opinion will spread as it relates to their immediate problem. Downloaded by Baba Momin ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|50897384 Basic Steps of Public Opinion Formation The process of public opinion formation, starts when some responsible citizens after identifying certain problems bring it to the notice of others, may be formally or informally. They discuss it thoroughly in a common forum trying for a solution. The problem may be related to illiteracy, agriculture, health, family planning or panchayat raj, drug abuse or alcohol. First Step  Thus, in the first step of public opinion the problem of issue is defined and identified by some people. Various interest groups in the public contest different views.  They try to get the support from the rest of the people who initially do not show any interest on the issue.  The interested groups try to arouse the emotion of the people and thereby make efforts to get their support. Second Step  On the second stage, an identified problem is discussed in great detail for bringing some solution.  It is found that many tribal people of India take recourse to country wine which is a major cause of their backward socio-economic condition. Some social workers or non-Govt. voluntary organisations after identifying this problem standing on the way of the development of tribal people started discussing how to stop excessive drinking habit of the tribals.  Thus, the possible ways of dealing with the problem are worked out. All the positive and negative aspects of the issue are discussed and deliberated and whether it is possible to reach the goal is also explored.  In sum, in the second stage the problem is studied in detail and possible solutions are worked out to raise the public opinion like giving the news to various medias to publish or broadcast for the awareness of the public. Third Step  In the third stage, alternative proposals for the solution of the problem are put forward.  After knowing about the issue from the press or electronic media, people from other groups and other villages will come and participate in the discussion, give slogans.  Sometimes a crowd like situation may emerge and the rational aspect of the issue may be lost in a Hood of stereotyped slogans and emotional appeals.  People opposing prohibition among tribal people may try to give opposite, statements, slogans, may make several propagandas and may spread rumor and thereby try to create conflict when the public opinion has not been fully formed and is still in a fluid state and only in the process of formation.  Thus, in the third stage, both rational and irrational considerations enter into the opinion formation in democratic societies. Fourth step  In the fourth and final stage of opinion formation from all the speeches, slogans, conversations and discussions, the majority of the members reach at a final decision regarding a particular issue. Thus, a conclusion is derived from a comparative analysis of opinions so expressed. Downloaded by Baba Momin ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|50897384  This becomes the public opinion. For instance, after lots of deliberations they finally reached at the decision that prohibition is essential for the upliftment of tribal people and active efforts are to be made to make prohibition effective.  This may not be the opinion of all, but if it is the opinion of the majority or most people, it becomes the public opinion as democracy chiefly operates by majority votes. In public opinion, there is difference of opinion, there is controversy but finally the view of the majority emerges as public opinion.  The quality and effectiveness of a public opinion depends upon how effectively the public has been involved in the discussion. The various mass and electronic medias, group discussions and public meetings also necessarily determine the quality of public opinion. Role of Press and Electronic Media in the Formation of Public Opinion  Newspapers and Magazines are the most popular medium used for the formation of public opinion. Since it is not possible on the part of people of different parts of a state, country or nation to come in direct contact with each other, newspapers play a very strong role in the formation of public opinion.  The band wagon effect is well carried through newspapers. Views of Government and various leaders are transmitted to the mass through the newspapers which are well known as mass media.  Newspapers play a determining role in the formation, maintenance and change of public opinion, sometimes facts are twisted to suit the purpose and motive of vested interest of newspapers and, thus, public opinion is formed on misleading information’s. This is called 'yellow journalism'. Such newspapers should be kept under close watch. But newspapers, nevertheless, give proper guidance to the public in formation of public opinion. Radio and TV-Radio is more effective than newspapers in influencing public opinion. Both Radio and TV function under Government control. So, people usually consider it as reliable and valid. Electronic medias, therefore, not only help in the formation of a large percentage of public opinion they also play effective role in changing public opinion. Many surveys are being conducted on public opinion sponsored by Radio and TV authorities to measure public opinion relating to various issues. Several scientific studies of propaganda have also been made through Radio and TV to study its effect on public. Very recently just before 1996 Parliamentary Election in India opinion polls on various political parties getting votes were made. It was found that this had also tremendous impact on public opinion. The radio and TV are Government medias and are, therefore, considered as reliable and valid. Many systematic and scientific studies of propaganda have been made through the Radio and TV on consumer goods and general election, popularity of a leader, scope of winning of a party etc. to study its effects on public opinion. Recently during the 11th Lok Sabha Election many private oganisations and newspaper authorities made surveys and exit polls as to which party will get how many members in which state etc. and these were broadcast and telecast. Downloaded by Baba Momin ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|50897384 TV is more effective than Radio in forming public opinion as it is an audiovisual aid, while radio has only auditory stimulation, TV has the extra S advantage of visual stimulation. When people see things in their own eyes through several characters, they believe and strengthen the already existing public opinion or change the old ones. Just like the small screen i.e., TV, motion pictures reflect ideas, attitudes and values of people which help in the formation and change of public opinion. Various fashion shows are telecast in TV to establish favourable attitude towards f certain types of dress designs. Once majority of the public like the appreciate such dresses a public opinion is formed in favour of these designs. A negative public opinion may also emerge if most people do not like the various designs. Newspapers have usually bigger coverage than Radio and TV. They are also less costly, easily available everywhere and an economically disadvantaged person can afford to buy a newspaper. Though radio and TV are costly and are not easily affordable, however they play an effective role in the formation and change of public opinion because of greater motivation and audiovisual effects. Emphasising the role of radio in public opinion formation, Allport and Cantril have suggested that while using radio as a means of influencing public S opinion care should be taken on the following points: (1) Females should make the majority of broadcasts as their voices are quite pleasant, soothing and liked by the audience. (2) While talking on the radio, the speaker must stress on the very purpose and should be more reality oriented. (3) Pronunciations should be as clear as possible. (4) The same ideas should not be repeated over and over again. Hence repetition should be avoided to overcome boredom. (5) The sentences should not be very lengthy and should not be spoken speedily. (6) On the average a performance should not be more than 15 minutes Relevance of Public Opinion in Indian Democracy  Public opinion is important in a democracy because the people are the ultimate source of political power. Downloaded by Baba Momin ([email protected])