#ajps

instagram:   fashionbooksmilano, designbooksmilano tumblr:          fashionbooksmilano, designbooksmilano

Kuklinski, Cobb, and Gilens designed a survey experiment to test the strength and source of attitudes towards affirmative action policies. Their method of choice was predominantly list experiments, in which they offer the control group a list of choices and ask how many make them angry. The treatment group then receives the same list plus one additional option. By comparing the average number of choices, one can estimate the attitudes towards the additional item in the treatment for both top-level groups, as well as subgroups. This particular advantage is well demonstrated through subgroup analyses of southern and non-southern whites.

Wlezien puts forward what he calls the “thermostatic model” of public opinion, which posits that mass opinion responds to policies. He tests his theory by collecting time series data on national attitudes towards defense and social spending, as well as budget appropriations. He shows that even when controlling for possible exogenous influences on opinion, such as the perceived threat of the Soviet Union, the thermostatic model is still plausible. The implication of this work is that the public is reasonably informed about political issues and are capable of taking that knowledge into account when making decisions. More broadly, Wlezien provides the framework for making similar claims about the relationship between policy and opinion in other settings.

ASVM