ABSTRACT
This chapter begins by addressing the definitional question of what ideology is and reviews work on the nature of ideology and its consequences for public opinion. It provides an overview of several decades’ worth of research on what attracts individuals to different ideological positions and when individuals think and make judgments about issues and candidates in ways that reflect ideology. While the concept of ideology has a familiar ring to it, students of public opinion—including political scientists, psychologists, and sociologists—have struggled to converge on a common definition of what it is. The chapter presents an integrated perspective describing how ideological affinities and belief systems are shaped by the interplay between top-down processes and bottom-up processes. Research on political socialization—the process by which individuals learn about the political world and acquire their opinions and views from others—also illustrates the role of relational influences on the acquisition of ideological positions.
