COMM 250 Final: Exam Review

• School: University of Maryland
• Department: Communication
• Course: COMM 250
• Professor: Susan Hubbard

Document Summary

What is the goal (purpose) of sst: to explain how a dominant public opinion develops based on people"s perceptions of what others think, to predict how perceived public opinion can influence individual opinion expression. What assumptions guide sst: society threatens deviant individuals with isolation; fear of isolation is pervasive. When people agree on common set of values, their fear of isolation decreases. Individuals feel pressure to agree with others: fear of isolation caused individuals to try to assess the climate of opinion at all times. Quasi-statistical sense: personal estimation of the strength of opposing sides on public issues. Pluralistic ignorance: mistaken observation of how most people feel. People mix their own direct perceptions and the perceptions of the mass media into an indivisible whole that derives from their own thoughts and experiences. Done through listening to the views of others: public behavior is affected by public opinion assessment, media.