Political socialization is defined as the process by which
political ideologies and values are transferred for one generation to another.
We do not come into the world with pre formed political opinions; powerful factors
influence our political perceptions and therefore define our political belief system.
With the advent of a global technological age, the mass media has become an increasingly
powerful tool in political socialization.
Our interaction with
mass media such as the internet, television, newspapers etc. provides access to
a wide variety of information. We can obtain information not only through
official sources but through informal blog posts and informal internet forums
as well. This information then tends to shape our political attitudes as well
as voting behavior
.
Secondly, media portrayal of different politicians can
affect our opinions of these figures. Research by Byrne proved that children
who had exposure to primarily television news tend to think favorably about the
government and feel that it is effective.
Moreover, neo Marxists such as Althusser and Gramsci suggest
that the elite owners of media transfer an ideological hegemony through the
mass media which includes the propagation of political ideas.
In conclusion, research suggests that the mass media does
indeed shape our political opinions but the extent that which it does so is
debatable.
Media and other forms of information do affect our way of thinking and decision power towards the political system and the people associated with it.We can only stop media from influencing our decision power by not becoming 'cheerful robots'. People who live in the edge and do not care what and why a certain situation has become a problem for us.
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