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The Nature and Origins of Mass Opinion is a 1992 non-fiction book by political scientist John Zaller that examines the processes by which individuals form and express political opinions and the implications this has for public opinion research.
- John R. Zaller
- 1992
In this 1992 book John Zaller develops a comprehensive theory to explain how people acquire political information from elites and the mass media and convert it into political preferences.
- John R. Zaller
- 1992
- In Brief
- Argument
- Empirical Test
- Key Definitions
Zaller argues that elite-driven communications do impact public opinion, but that it is mediated by political awareness which determines the consistency and salience of considerations. Zaller challenges the idea that voters only have one true preference; instead he presents a model where individuals have conflicting views on specific issues and the...
In General
Zaller begins by rejecting the view that individuals possess a "true attitude" or single opinion on an issue ("most of what gets measured as public opinion does not exist except in the presence of a pollster" page 265) and instead proposes a model of how individuals construct opinions in response to the particular stimuli that confront them. Zaller's model is constructed from four basic premises: 1. Individuals differ substantially in their attention to politics and therefore their exposure t...
"Considerations": The 'Receive-Accept-Sample' (RAS) Model
For Zaller, the public forms "considerations" in response to elite discourse (political communications) in the mass media. Often, this discourse consists of multiple, frequently conflicting streams of persuasive messages. In general, the greater an individual's level of political awareness, the more likely she is to receive these messages. Also, the greater a person's level of awareness, the more likely she is to be able, under certain circumstances, to resist (or accept) information that is...
RAS and Political Awareness
More aware persons will be exposed to more political communications (they 'receive' more), but will be more selective in deciding which communications to internalize as considerations (they 'accept' less). Thus politically aware citizens will tend to fill their minds with large numbers of considerations, and these considerations will tend to be relatively more consistent with one another and with the citizen's predispositions. Less aware citizens will internalize ('receive') fewer considerati...
To test his RAS model, Zaller relies primarily upon NES survey data. Specifically, he applies his theory to the dynamics of public opinion on a broad range of subjects, including domestic and foreign policy, trust in government, racial equality, the Vietnam War, and presidential approval.
Consideration: Any reason that might induce an individual to decide a political issue one way or another.Political awareness: An individual's reception and comprehension of communications from the political environment. According to Zaller, political awareness is best measured by simple tests of neutr...Political predispositions: Stable, individual-level traits that regulate the acceptance or non-acceptance of the political communication the person receives. Predispositions are the critical interv...Values: General and enduring standards that hold a more central position than attitudes in individuals' belief systems.Jul 9, 2013 · These ideas are usually mediated to us by others, so Zaller begins the book by describing its topic as the influence of the media on public opinion, and he includes journalists among the “political elites” who exert this influence (along with politicians, public officials, and experts).
Sep 11, 2019 · John Zaller studies American politics and public opinion. His first book, The Nature and Origins of Mass Opinion (Cambridge, 1992), explored how political messages reach the public and influence its thinking.
Mar 21, 2013 · Zeller has steered the Campaign from its inception through its dramatic conclusion—including reaching the $3.5 billion goal 16 months ahead of time. A Penn employee since January of 2005, Zeller is a veteran of campaigns at Johns Hopkins Medicine and Johns Hopkins Institutions, as well as the University of Rochester Medical Center.
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John Zeller (1830–1902), also known by his German name Johannes Zeller, was a 19th-century Protestant missionary in Ottoman Israel. Zeller's four decades left a lasting impact in the areas of Protestant Christianity, scholarship, and education.
