4.2 - Political Socialization

Political Ideology: a consistent set of beliefs about what government should and shouldn't do, and how much power it should have. The "big three" for this course: conservative, liberal, and libertarian.

Political Socialization: the process by which people develop their political beliefs in the first place.

It covers more than opinions. It's how people pick up political beliefs, values, opinions, and behaviors, like which party they identify with, how much they trust government, and whether they vote. It starts in childhood and keeps going all through life.

Family: historically and still today, the most significant influence, especially early in life. Most high schoolers share their parents' views, and many people keep their parents' party as adults.

Why it's so strong: kids hear their parents talk about politics long before they study it in school, so they often pick up their parents' party and views early. The effect is strongest when both parents agree and talk about politics often.

Other influences: peers, schools, religious organizations, media, and especially social media today.

Schools: teach civics and American history, lead the Pledge of Allegiance, and run student council elections, which build support for democracy and the political system. College can also shift views, since students meet new people and ideas.
Peers: friends, classmates, and coworkers matter more as people get older. People tend to take on the views of the groups they spend time with.
Media: news, TV, and the internet shape which issues people think matter and how they see candidates. On social media, algorithms can put users in echo chambers where they mostly see views they already agree with.
Civic and religious organizations: groups like Scouts, volunteer groups, unions, and churches, synagogues, or mosques teach people to work together and take part in their community, and religious groups often shape members' views on social issues like abortion.
Social environment: where people live and work matters too. Rural areas lean more conservative, and big cities lean more liberal.

U.S. Political Culture: the shared core values and democratic ideals shaping how citizens relate to government. Most Americans believe democracy is good and want government to be responsive to the people.

Globalization: values and ideas cross borders and shape political culture both ways. For example, the U.S. has exported its love of free markets while importing more interest in regulation and government-run healthcare.

Adam Smith connection: the free-market values the U.S. exports trace back to Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations (1776), the source of free enterprise as an American core value (see 4.1). After the Cold War ended in 1991, many former communist countries in Eastern Europe moved toward free markets and trade.