ABSTRACT
How do Americans think and feel about politics? The political thoughts and feelings of the American public have been the subject of intense and prolific research since the 1950s. Several questions-How sophisticated is the public about politics and democratic ideals? How much attention do Americans pay to political information? How do people process and use information (particularly during electoral campaigns)? and How do Americans make decisions when deciding for whom to vote?—have been important in political psychology. In addition, political psychologists have been interested in the impact of the media on American political thinking.
