Issue Salience and Public Opinion: Are There Consequences of Agenda-Setting?

In: International journal of public opinion research, Volume 3, Issue 1, p. 53-68

Abstract

The relationship between perceived public issue salience of the federal budget deficit & public knowledge, opinion, & behavior was examined via analysis of 1988 telephone survey data collected from 746 Ind residents. Statistically significant correlations were found between issue salience & knowledge about the issue, strength & direction of opinion on particular issue solutions, & political behavior related to the issue. Increased salience of the issue was accompanied by increased knowledge of its possible causes & solutions, stronger opinions, less likelihood of taking a neutral position, & more likelihood of participating in politics through such behavior as signing petitions, voting, attending meetings, & writing letters. Control of demographics, media exposure, & attention measures through regression analysis did not alter thee correlations. 5 Tables, 40 References. Adapted from the source document.