How Are Political Views Formed? Describe Some of the Key

question 57

Essay

How are political views formed? Describe some of the key processes and factors through which individuals become politically socialized. How do institutions such as families and groups, as well as personal experiences, come to shape individual opinions?

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Definitions:

Prejudice

A preconceived opinion or judgement made without adequate knowledge or examination of the facts.

Discrimination

Unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex.

Attitude

A psychological tendency expressed by evaluating a particular entity with some degree of favor or disfavor, which influences individuals' behavior and perceptions.

Cognition

The mental processes that are involved in acquiring, storing, retrieving, and using information and that include sensation, perception, imagery, concept formation, reasoning, decision making, problem solving, and language.