A study of the different perceptual frameworks of the major parties involved in strategic nuclear policy was conducted by examining the interaction between the Executive Branch, Congress, and the informed public. Public political communication data were gathered from public documents generated by Congress and the Executive branch, and by examining…

This study focuses on the political processes involved in the preparation and passage in 1973 of a school finance reform package in Illinois. The author places particular emphasis on how language was used to promote support for the legislation, how partisan politics affected voting patterns in the legislature on this issue, and how legislators…

In order for Asians to progress in American society, they must commit themselves to total participation in the mainstream of the culture while preserving their own special cultural identity. Asian unity in strategies for civil and cultural advancement at the local level must not become clouded by excessive involvement in international politics.…

Results are reported of a study to determine whether sexism is an outgrowth of racism, using the variables of social class, general conservatism, and economic traditionalism. The sample consisted of 522 students (47% female, 53% male) in small liberal arts college. Participants were administered questionnaires by trained interviewers and data were…

The attitudes and values of the present generation of Miami University undergraduates were studied, and the shifts that have taken place in the viewpoints of incoming freshmen at the institution during this decade are traced. Five types of values were examined: personal values and commitments, political and economic beliefs, social attitudes,…

This text examines some of the basic processes of American Society, particularly the way it perceives values and makes decisions concerning values. Occasionally the text relates lessons to health-care problems and situations. Lessons consist of readings, projects, and question-answer exercises. (RE)

In l976 Dane County, Wisconsin was the site of a survey to determine the knowledge of rural youth and adults as to how their government functioned. The area was chosen because its residents were thought to be more politically active than individuals in other parts of the state. Personal or telephone interviews were conducted with 112 adults and…

As a means of exploring public attitudes toward political institutions, the research analyzes theories explaining public trust and confidence in the president and the congress. Hypotheses examined include that there exists a connection between discontent with authorities and institutions, that certain groups in society (the young and…

According to data that emerged as a byproduct of a total study designed to measure the impact of higher education on the student, students are likely to find greater understanding from their parents on many current issues than from fellow students at another college. Student and parent opinions, as perceived by students, were collected from 3…

This study examines the information sources and population characteristics that differentiate political opinion-leaders from nonleaders. A telephone poll of 339 subjects provided data indicating that political opinion leaders receive more information about candidates from all media, as well as through interpersonal communication, than do…

In an effort to discover the effects of mass media on viewer perception of candidates' positions, tests were administered to 10 to 12 families at each of five locations across the country immediately following each of the 1976 Carter-Ford debates. Sixteen statements were drawn from the presidential platform of each party and each statement was…

In order to determine if media dependency has effects on audience members, a study was conducted among 460 randomly chosen household heads in Syracuse, New York. The respondents were asked to answer questions designed to measure media dependency in terms of use and of reliance on the various media. The questionnaire included a measure of audience…

An investigation of the political and social content of mass media and the manner in which individuals and groups evaluate and use mass media is summarized in this report. The first section provides a brief overview of the development of the mass media system in Sweden, while the second section outlines the theoretical framework for the present…

This guide for students, teachers, and librarians in secondary schools lists over 200 books and films about the Holocaust. The contents have been selected to help students and others find out what happened during the Holocaust, understand some of the reasons for it, develop a better understanding of the Jewish people, and reflect on their own…

The purposes of this book are to summarize and analyze the nature of public opinion in contemporary America and to examine the implications of that nature for the possibility of a functioning democracy. Material in the four sections covers the following topics: "The Study of Public Opinion: Political Theory and Methodology"--opinions and…