Readings is here 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 proces ...

1. Readings is here
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

2. 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

3. 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?