250 words

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Are you a conservative or a liberal? Are you a Republican or a Democrat? Do you think participating in the American system of government is important, or a waste of time?

Through a process known as "political socialization," we develop attitudes and beliefs about government that affecthow we behave politically. These attitudes and beliefs are often shaped by the circumstances of our lives. The experiences, situations, and people who are involved in our daily lives shape the way that we think about the world and the role of politics in that world.

Another key factor that shapes your worldview is the political efficacy that you possess. Political efficacy describes the belief that one has in their ability to impact the political process and government at large. The more efficacy you have, the more likely you are to believe in the power of government to impact our lives. It is important to note, that political efficacy refers to your perception, not necessarily the reality of your ability to make an impact.

Agents of Socialization

The agents of socialization include family, friends, school, media, political culture, and religion. Political culture is the political "way of life" of a nation which is learned as a set of beliefs, attitudes, and opinions about how their government should operate and politics should be practiced. While reading about each agent, as described below, think about your own socialization. In order to begin thinking about this lesson's discussion activity, please be sure to take note of your answers to the questions.

Family

Family and friends are considered to be the most important "agent" of socialization, due to their early influence. Our parents represent our first authority figures. They also teach us right from wrong and send very strong signals about what is good in the world and what is bad. Studies have shown that parents have a significant influence on our attitude toward society and government. Political scientists say that one's family is the most important factor in the development of an individual's sense of political efficacy. How does the changing definition of a family affect the messages we receive about what is good and bad in the world?

Party Identification

One of the most concrete examples of family influence on political development is the generally agreed upon finding that children are likely to adopt the same political party as their parents. Long-term studies have found fairly firm attachments to the political party of one's parents. When you were growing up did you know the political affiliation of your parents? Did they have the same or different political affiliations? Was this information something they shared publicly, or did they keep it to themselves?

School

Think back to elementary and high school. Did your experiences in school "socialize" you to behave in certain ways or believe certain things about society and government? How might this socialization process be different in a public school as opposed to a private school? How would it be different in a school in Brooklyn, New York, versus a school in Valdosta, Georgia?

Political scientists believe one of the generally accepted implications of media influence is agenda setting. Think of the government agenda as the governments “To-Do List”. Agenda setting is the ability of the media to "set the agenda" for what the public considers important or newsworthy in the arena of public affairs and government.

Journalists cannot bring you every story, so they have to choose what to report, relying on their training and news judgment. The stories they emphasize have the power to affect the political landscape because of the number of people exposed to the news coverage.

Religion

Religious traditions can lead to differing perspectives on the role of government and the development of social policies. People tend to join religious organizations that are reflections of their own political beliefs. How has religion played a role in shaping your beliefs?