Psychological Determinants of Public Opinion

Abstract

(from the chapter) The goal of this chapter is to explore the psychological underpinnings of public opinions. The authors first consider political belief systems, and the classic question of whether Americans have opinions on political topics at all, and if so, considerations that should be taken into account when assessing them. The authors then review a variety of psychological accounts for differences in public opinion, including the roles of material self-interest, attachments to group identities, values, affect, and attributions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved) (chapter)