Public Reaction Analysis
OVERVIEW
This assignment draws on Chapter 6 (Best 2017) to challenge you to think about the elements of popular opinion on your condition of interest.
PURPOSE
Skills
By learning different ways of thinking about public opinion and how public opinion is shaped, you will be able to recognize the forces shaping public opinion
Knowledge
You will gain a better understanding of both the importance and lack of importance of public opinion in the social problems process.
TASK 1} Public Opinion Analysis
Find some measures of public opinion on your issue. As our book explains, these may include public opinion polls, researchers using focus groups, letters to the editor, comments on internet news stories, and research using social media responses (especially semantic polling).
Answer these questions:
Summarize the findings of the measure(s) you found. Include a graph or figure. Make sure to properly cite your source(s).
How has public opinion with regard to your condition been measured? What methodologies are used? What kinds of samples are used? How are variables defined?
What are the strengths of the measure(s) of public opinion you found? What are some limitations of the measure you found?
When it comes to your condition, does public opinion drive the way the condition is constructed or does the construction of the problem by claimsmakers such as the media, experts, or activists drive public opinion? Why?
Make sure to add any new reference(s) to your Bibliography.
TASK 2} Folklore Analysis
Two common folklore genres that sometimes express people's reactions to social problems include contemporary legends (“urban legends”) and joke cycles (Best 2017: 180-190). Find examples of legends, jokes, or other folklore surrounding your condition. Folklore might include songs, email messages, posts on social media (“memes”).
Post one example of folklore regarding your social issue. (Make sure to include a proper reference and add the full citation to your Bibliography.)
What does this example of popular culture tell us about public opinion on your condition?
Format
Make a new page of your website titled “Public Reaction” for this assignment.
Split your page into two sections: (1) Public Opinion Analysis; and (2) Folklore.
CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS
Strong assignments will:
Use evidence to back up your arguments (this should include quotes from media coverage or other evidence);
Clearly explain using plain language; and
Draw a conclusion about the role of public opinion in constructing your issue.
peer review
Instructions for peer review for this assignment are located here: