Abstract
This chapter investigates the level of political information in America. It begins with a review of relevant research, in which it shows that American citizens have surprisingly low levels of general knowledge when compared to political elites or to citizens from other Western countries. The chapter then discusses how the current measures of refining political knowledge may be improved, and reviews literature on ideological sophistication. The next section studies scholars' contention that Americans are not only ignorant but also not ideologically sophisticated. Finally, the chapter discusses research on issue publics.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | The Oxford Handbook of American Public Opinion and the Media |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9780191728389 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9780199545636 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - May 19 2011 |
Keywords
- American citizens
- Ideological sophistication
- Issue publics
- Political elites
- Political information
- Political knowledge
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Social Sciences