Ideological Constraint in the Mass Public: A Methodological Critique and Some New Findings

In: American journal of political science: AJPS, Band 22, Heft 2, S. 233-249

Abstract

Recent research into the structure of public attitudes suggests that levels of "constraint" in the mass public increased substantially between 1956 & 1972, largely in response to the ideological nature of the 1964 presidential election. The validity of this interpretation is examined, & it is suggested that constraint in the mass public probably did not increase very much, but that reported changes were due instead to changes in the survey items used to measure constraint. Implications of this view are considered. 6 Tables. HA.