The Development Of Political Attitudes In Children

Based on a study of 12,000 elementary school children in eight large and medium-sized American cities, this book presents the first large-scale study of political attitude formation in children. The authors view political development from the perspective of a general theory of socialization, and compare the influences of social class, intelligence, teacher attitude, and religious membership on the growth of political attitudes. The book outlines the way in which the child's political awareness evolvesfrom identification with authority figures such as father, policeman, the president, to a grasp of more abstract political concepts and the rudiments of political participation. Illuminating a topic of great theoretical concern and practical educational importance, the book is a significant contribution to the fields of political sociology, child development and educational psychology, and an important reference work for all concerned with the processes of socialization and of attitude formation in general. The Development of Political Attitudes in Children was based on a major survey, the first of its kind, begun at the University of Chicago in 1960 to as certain information about the induction of children into the political life of the United States, to describe the nature of socialization into citizenship roles, and to examine pre-adult political learning and behavior in terms of other implications for the stability of the political system.

Based on a study of 12,000 elementary school children in eight large and medium-sized American cities, this book presents the first large-scale study of political attitude formation in children. The authors view political development from the perspective of a general theory of socialization, and compare the influences of social class, intelligence, teacher attitude, and religious membership on the growth of political attitudes. The book outlines the way in which the child's political awareness evolvesfrom identification with authority figures such as father, policeman, the president, to a grasp of more abstract political concepts and the rudiments of political participation. Illuminating a topic of great theoretical concern and practical educational importance, the book is a significant contribution to the fields of political sociology, child development and educational psychology, and an important reference work for all concerned with the processes of socialization and of attitude formation in general. The Development of Political Attitudes in Children was based on a major survey, the first of its kind, begun at the University of Chicago in 1960 to as certain information about the induction of children into the political life of the United States, to describe the nature of socialization into citizenship roles, and to examine pre-adult political learning and behavior in terms of other implications for the stability of the political system.

One of the central questions in politics is from where people derive their tastes and opinions. Why do some people embrace the free market, while others prefer an interventionist state? From where do preferences for a vigorous foreign policy or for sterner policing of moral issues come? As has been shown, political preferences may be influenced by perceived benefits, the media, or public intellectuals, but less is known about the influence of family on political attitudes. Some mechanisms of family influence are well-known: people tend to share their parents' political philosophies, while those with young children have heightened concern for child-related policies such as education. But family dynamics are likely to have far richer and more varied effects on political attitudes than those traditionally considered. Families' Values considers the ways that the everyday behaviors of family members systematically and unconsciously influence political preferences. For example, does having a mother who works outside the home lead children, when grown-up, to have more liberal ideologies? Or, might having a son who could potentially be drafted into the armed forces influence a parent to become a pacifist? Drawing on surveys from the United States and the United Kingdom, R. Urbatsch looks at the ways in which parents, siblings, birth order, gender, and socioeconomics influence opinions on issues from war, to the welfare state, to abortion. Through compelling analysis, he demonstrates that our family relationships play an enormously crucial and multi-faceted role in the way that we experience, learn about, and practice politics.