A Cognitive-Social Theory of Public Opinion: Dynamic Social Impact and Cognitive Structure

1996 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 48-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Howard Lavine ◽  
Bibb Latané
Keyword(s):  
Public Opinion ◽  
Social Theory ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Cognitive Structure ◽  
Opinion Dynamic

Islam, Religious Outlooks, and Support for Democracy

2018 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
pp. 435-449 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabri Ciftci ◽  
F. Michael Wuthrich ◽  
Ammar Shamaileh
Keyword(s):  
Public Opinion ◽  
Social Theory ◽  
Multivariate Regression ◽  
Significant Contribution ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Regime Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
Support For Democracy ◽  
Social Realm ◽  
Muslim Religiosity

Despite a wealth of studies examining Muslim religiosity and democracy, uncertainty regarding Islam and attitudes toward democracy remains. Although the claims concerning the incompatibility of Islam and democracy are generally discarded, public opinion scholarship has yet to build much further from this important first step or incorporate a strong theoretical framework for analysis beyond this basic foundation. This paper seeks to integrate literature in social theory on religious worldviews with novel conceptualizations and measurement of distinct religious outlooks among the religious faithful to explain patterns in attitudes toward democracy. We construct a theory with clear expectations regarding these relationships and use the largest and best available survey data (Arab Democracy Barometer, Wave III) to test our predictions using latent class analysis and a series of multivariate regression estimations. The results of our empirical analysis reveal that there are important differences among practicing Muslims regarding the role that religion should play in the social realm and that these differences are relevant to the analysis of how faith shapes preferences for regime type and democracy. The analysis makes a significant contribution to the study of religion and political attitudes.

An online multi-dimensional opinion dynamic model with misinformation diffusion in emergency events

2021 ◽  
pp. 016555152097743
Author(s):  
Mengmeng Liu ◽  
Lili Rong
Keyword(s):  
Public Opinion ◽  
Dynamic Model ◽  
Online Social Networks ◽  
Information Diffusion ◽  
Online Communication ◽  
Opinion Dynamics ◽  
Opinion Formation ◽  
Early Results ◽  
Emergency Events ◽  
Opinion Dynamic

Multiple opinions, including many that are negative, are produced in emergency events. These opinions are commonly formed asynchronously based on misinformation. However, most researches on opinion dynamics involving information neglect the asynchronous process of initial opinion formation due to information diffusion. Since online social networks like Sina Weibo act as major avenues for the expression, after analysing online behaviours, an opinion dynamic model is developed with consideration of misinformation diffusion of public opinion. In this model, schemes are developed for opinion interactions in multiple dimensions by introducing characteristics of online communication as another way of opinion interactions besides communication between neighbours. Subsequently, we investigate the impacts of network structure, diffusion rate, repost rate and other factors, which provide insights into understanding online opinion dynamics during emergency events. Furthermore, we conduct simulations to determine the intervention effects of different official responses. Results show that removing comments compulsively exhibits better performance in reducing negative opinion as well as increasing the density of Spreaders. Debunking misinformation by posting early results officially which indicates the probability of the existence of misinformation may lead public opinion in time if it takes a long time to finally confirm the misinformation.

Latino Public Opinion & Realigning the American Electorate

Daedalus ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 141 (4) ◽  
pp. 98-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary M. Segura
Keyword(s):  
Public Opinion ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Generational Status ◽  
National Origin ◽  
Core Beliefs ◽  
Latino Population ◽  
Role Of Government ◽  
Political Group ◽  
Political Impact

The growth and significance of the Latino electorate raises important questions about its preferences, identity, and impact. In this essay, I explore three facets of Latino public opinion and offer thoughts regarding their political impact. First, I demonstrate that Latino core beliefs about the role of government are progressive. Second, I explore the ways in which national origin, nativity, and generational status reveal important differences in how Latinos think about and participate in politics; I caution against over-interpreting the importance of these differences. Finally, I offer evidence that Latino panethnic identity is sufficiently developed to constitute a political “group.” Given that this segment in the American electorate is increasingly unified and demonstrably left of center, I suggest that the growth of the Latino population and electorate could have substantial electoral and social impact.

scholarly journals Contributions from Social Theory to Sustainability for All

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (23) ◽  
pp. 9949
Author(s):  
Ramon Flecha
Keyword(s):  
Social Theory ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Scientific Basis ◽  
Political Agenda ◽  
Dual Approach ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Sustainable Societies ◽  
Underserved Groups ◽  
Robust Evidence

The sustainability of societies is an issue of utmost importance for humankind. This is reflected in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, which highlight the main challenges that citizens face, including underserved groups, and set the path for finding solutions to overcome them. The achievement of the SDGs for 2030 is setting not only the political agenda, but also the scientific one. From the field of social sciences, an issue that remains underexplored is the contributions (or lack thereof, in some occasions) from social theory to the consolidation of more sustainable societies, including the underserved groups. In this vein, the aim of this article is to provide robust evidence on how social theory has contributed to such improvement and is still doing it. To this end, it provides an analysis of how the advancements made from social theory with social impact have contributed to the achievement of the SDGs. Alongside, this article also presents how some theories that never had social impact at their core have hindered the improvement of societies. This dual approach provides a clear picture of the role that social theory can play in the achievement of the SDGs, as well as evidence towards the overcoming of exclusionary theories with no scientific basis.

From private attitude to public opinion: A dynamic theory of social impact.

1990 ◽  
Vol 97 (3) ◽  
pp. 362-376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrzej Nowak ◽  
Jacek Szamrej ◽  
Bibb Latané
Keyword(s):  
Public Opinion ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Dynamic Theory

scholarly journals Transformations in the Social Impact: Politics, Media, Social Networks

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 58-75
Author(s):  
Svetlana Alexandrova
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Public Opinion ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Online Communication ◽  
Political Elites ◽  
Public Attention ◽  
Communication Environment ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Media

The article analyzes the role of political elites and the media in shaping public opinion and the direction of public attention. Focusing on the transformations in the social impact under the influence of network culture in the online communication environment, it examines how the role of traditional structures of power is transformed, and how this affects political culture, the formation of public opinion, and its participation in socio-political life. Social networks are a means of dialogue and organization, and this requires political elites and the media to consult and comply with active public opinion in the online communication environment.

scholarly journals Social Impact: Theories, Tools and Examples of Propaganda and Persuasive Statements used in Polish Elections of 2015

2016 ◽  
pp. 21-29
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Synowiec
Keyword(s):  
Public Opinion ◽  
Media Literacy ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Theoretical Background ◽  
Media Content ◽  
Parliamentary Election ◽  
Election Campaigns ◽  
American Institute ◽  
Media Impact ◽  
Empirical Contribution

Objectives. The purpose of presented study is to discuss the chosen theories, mechanisms and tools of social impact, which allow influencing individuals and groups, in reference to Polish election campaigns 2015. The effectiveness of media content influence on the recipient is considered with view to achieving the expected results, such as changes in behaviour, attitudes, etc. This issue is relevant in Poland and there is a need to analyse it. Methodology. This study is both theoretical and empirical. Theoretical background includes considering the concept of social impact and the origins of shaping public opinion, inspired by the John Zaller’s classic work “The Nature and Origins of Public Opinion” (1992). The empirical contribution involves the content analysis of the set of examples from Polish presidential and parliamentary election campaigns of 2015. Results and Conclusions. The techniques described and classified by the American Institute for Propaganda Analysis in the far 1937, were broadly used in Polish media within the 2015 presidential and parliamentary election campaigns. Referring to the classic examples of media impact, the author considers the relevance of the propaganda tools. Based on the analyses of the concrete election cases, a conclusion is substantiated that such old propaganda techniques as word games, false connections, special appeals, name calling and glittering generalities are still effectively used in the contemporary communication, despite the improving of people’s media literacy and competence.

scholarly journals A sociology of the Covid-19 pandemic: A commentary and research agenda for sociologists

2020 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 726-735 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul R Ward
Keyword(s):  
Social Theory ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Research Agenda ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Leisure Activities ◽  
Jean Paul ◽  
The Social ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Shed Light

During the early part of 2020, there has been an abundance of critically important research on Covid-19 from medical, epidemiological and virological disciplines. There is now an urgent need for sociologists to engage theoretically and empirically on the social impact of issues related to Covid-19. As we have moved further into 2020, governments around the world have imposed different types of restrictions on social life, in order to quell the spread of Covid-19 and ‘flatten the curve’. These have included imposing various degrees of social isolation and restrictions on things like social gatherings, travel, sport and leisure activities, and going to work/school/university. This commentary explores the ways in which different branches of social theory can shed light on the implications of Covid-19 restrictions for social life ‘as we know it’. The broad fields of social theory in the commentary cover concepts such as risk, trust, fear, uncertainty and happiness. The process of developing the social theory driven research agenda contained within this commentary took a rather unusual route – it started by re-reading Jean-Paul Sartre’s ideas on existentialism, which led to me painting a visual sociology of Covid-19 (an image of my painting is provided), and ultimately to this piece.

Research on Systemic Risk of Pressure Special Equipment

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jingbiao Yang ◽  
Jiong Zheng ◽  
Xufeng Li ◽  
Weijian Luo
Keyword(s):  
Risk Management ◽  
Public Opinion ◽  
Systemic Risk ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Risk Model ◽  
Mental Capacity ◽  
Special Equipment ◽  
The Social ◽  
Failure Event ◽  
The Impact

Traditional risk management or risk-based inspection focuses on the probability and the consequences of failure almost without considering the impact on society of the failure events. Social impact of a failure event resulting from a same type of equipment but with the occurrence of the event in the occasion with different public opinion and mental capacity is not the same. The social impact of an event resulting from a pressure special equipment, namely a risk intensity as a modified factor is introduced in this paper based on the traditional description of risk. A systemic risk model is developed after the consequences of failure is modified by the risk intensity. The model built explains the phenomenon well that the failure of the same equipment in different occasions has different social impact.

scholarly journals Conceptualization of the Kazakh language in the Linguistic Consciousness of the Kazakhs

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 67-71
Author(s):  
Gulzhana Jenalayeva ◽  
Gaukhar Niyar ◽  
Moldir Zhubanyshbayeva
Keyword(s):  
Public Opinion ◽  
Ethnic Group ◽  
Stimulus Word ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Native Language ◽  
Cognitive Structure ◽  
Special Contribution ◽  
The People ◽  
National Characteristics ◽  
Frequency Criterion

The purpose of this study is to describe ways of conceptualizing the Kazakh language from the perspectives of the representatives of the Kazakh nation. Language is a very important phenomenon for the people, which reflects their national characteristics. Of great interest is the conceptualization of the Kazakh language by representatives of the Kazakh linguoculture in the context of the situation when public opinion recognizes its position in general and its status as unsatisfactory rather than satisfactory. A special contribution of the author to the study of the topic is to conduct a free-associative experiment among native speakers of the Kazakh language on the stimulus-word “қазақ тілі”. The novelty of the study lies in the fact that the obtained associative data were distributed according to the frequency criterion with subsequent modeling of the associative field and its cognitive structure. A free associative experiment was carried out among the native speakers of the Kazakh language. The results of the study demonstrate that the Kazakh language reflects the origins of the nation, its history and customs. The native language for the Kazakh ethnic group is associated with Motherland, pride and patriotism. Analysis of proverbs, sayings and literary contexts have shown that the Kazakh language is very rich and actualizes the beginning of upbringing and morality.

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