This paper empirically evaluates the proposition that political conformism, specifically structural, passive, psychological, and defensive conformism, is a function of exposure to mass media. Secondary analysis of data from the National Opinion Research Center's 1975 General Social Survey revealed a significant relationship between TV viewing and conformism. The 484 heavy viewers were less active and interested in political affairs and had greater apprehension in regard to interpersonal and national relations than did the 650 light viewers. However, education weakened the correlation between viewing and passive and psychological conformity, and in the small nonwhite sample none of the four aspects were related to television viewing. There was no support for the hypothesis that heavy viewers generally approve existing political policies. In fact, the heavy viewers favored more government action to change social structure than did light viewers. Researchers suggest more attention to routine television viewing as a variable in political attitudes. (Author/KS)