Public opinion
Public opinion entails the desires, thoughts and wants by the majority of the people in a society or a state. The opinion may be to suggest a way forward or how to tackle a problem. It involves the general public
- collective rationalization
on various matters and complex issues by the relevant stakeholders for instance the government. The public opinion thus comes from mass participation and suggestions on various issues.
The cognitive foundations for public opinion include the public beliefs on the policy issues involving liberal ideologies in a given state. According to McCombs (2018), the political elite citizens have more organized political beliefs that contribute to political knowledge and public opinion. Socialization among the people greatly contributes to the sharing of opinions where the people hold discussions on various issues, especially politics. Through socialization, cognitive foundations on public opinion are realized within masses in different regions.
Collective rationalization on public opinion focuses on the shortcomings associated with group decisions in the dimension of collective subjectivity. Social interactions reveal the insights on political issues whereby decisions are made according to the beliefs of the public. Therefore, when making group decisions, collective rationalization may occur. Also, the members of a given group may choose to drift away from the others and make their own decisions. For instance, a given group may decide on a particular suggestion on political matters but when approached, some may have varying opinions. In such a case, collective rationalization does not apply.
Reference
McCombs, M. (2018). Setting the agenda: Mass media and public opinion. John Wiley & Sons.