Political socialisation is the method by which we acquire political norms and values, and we experience political socialisation throughout our lives. For example, our early political views are usually influenced by our parents. This may take the form of identifying with a particular party, or taking a negative view of an opposing party. As we leave home, our political views will be further influenced by peer groups, particularly in the workplace. The area we live in can also be a factor in determining voting behaviour, but perhaps the most important agent of political socialisation is the media.
The media impacts upon political socialisation in three ways;
- Politicians must present a favourable media image, otherwise they will fail to win votes. One of the reasons the Conservative party elected David Cameron as their leader was his positive media image
- The media can often determine an agenda that politicians tend to follow. For example, recent Home Secretaries have been critical of judged imposing lenient sentences against criminals
- Newspapers can reinforce their readers to vote for a particular party. However, it is debateable as to how much impact the press really has upon voting behaviour.
The media often shows political bias, particularly newspapers (e.g. the Daily Mail supports the Conservatives, and the Daily Mirror favours the Labour party). However, the TV is more objective. For example the BBC is officially neutral. Other TV stations do occasionally show a slight bias, such as Sky news. |
