BA_MPO Media and Public Opinion

University of Finance and Administration
Summer 2023
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 3 credit(s). Recommended Type of Completion: z (credit). Other types of completion: zk (examination).
Guaranteed by
doc. Giuseppe Maiello, Ph.D.
Subdepartment of Management and Marketing – Department of Economics and Management – Departments – University of Finance and Administration
Contact Person: Bc. Kamila Procházková
Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites for this course
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is offered to students of any study field.
Course objectives
The main objectives of this course are to introduce students to the theoretical and empirical approaches to studying public opinion. Both approaches to the study of public opinion in society will be assessed both from the point of view of historical development and from the position of the impact of current opinion polls on society. An integral part of the interpretation will be the basic methods of public opinion research and their reflection from the point of view of parameters of quality research. Students who successfully complete the course: 1. Understand the role, importance and function of public opinion in modern societies; 2. will be able to characterize its bearers, the basic elements and the factors that influence it; 3. be able to identify public opinion in relation to the most important political phenomena and processes and understand its dynamics in society; 4. acquire the ability to analyze the processes of formation and functioning of public opinion; 5. will be able to explain the active role of the media and opinion leaders in forming opinion structures; 6. learn about the logic of electoral preferences research and methods of public opinion research.
Learning outcomes
Basic theoretical knowledge, orientation in problems and context of monitored topics. At the same time, the practical skills and skills of applying the acquired knowledge in a real environment of professional activities. The learning outcomes are the support and development of the profile of the educated practitioner.
Syllabus
  • 1. Substance of public opinion. a) Ambiguity of term public opinion. b) Differences between the opinion and the view. c) Terms: public spirit, opinion climate, mass opinion and public opinion. d) Process of discussion in public opinion formation.
  • 2. Theoretical approaches to study of public opinion. a) Public opinion as a social-historical phenomenon. b) Primordialistic and modernistic theory of public opinion. c) Realistic and nominalistic approach to public opinion. d) The relationship of sociology, philosophy and politics to study of public opinion.
  • 3. The characterization of subject of public opinion. a) Subject of public opinion. b) The public and its historical reflection. c) Mass and mass public. d) Crowds and publics. e) Object of public opinion.
  • 4. The principal elements of public opinion. a) Attributes of public opinion. b) Intensity and direction of public opinion. c) Stability of public opinion. d) Public opinion structure. e) Function of public opinion. f) The Spiral of Silence (E. Noelle-Neumann).
  • 5. Formation of public opinion. a) Stages of rise and influence of public opinion. b) Processes of public opinion formation. c) Oscillatory public opinion.
  • 6. Factors which create public opinion and public opinion dynamics. a) The scheme of factors which influence public opinion. b) The factors which falsify public opinion. c) Manipulation with public opinion. d) Public opinion dynamics.
  • 7. Individual opinion and its relationship with public opinion. a) Social psychology and public opinion. b) The role of individual opinion in formation of public opinion. Crystallization of public opinion. c) Everyday consciousness. d) The role of emotion, values, motivation and needs. e) The influence of prejudices and stereotypes and the phenomenon of rumour.
  • 8. The impact of communication processes on public opinion. a) Interpersonal communication and the mediation. b) Mass communication theory. c) Hypodermic needle model (magic bullet) and two step flow model of communication (Lazarsfeld).
  • 9. The role of media and opinion leaders in formation of public opinion. a) Mass communication theory (mass media). b) The influence of interpersonal communication. c) Periodization of the theory of mass media effect (McQuail). d) Study of mass communication effects. e) The effect of public opinion surveys and their publication. f) The study of opinion leaders. g) Two-cyclical model of communication (Troldahl). h) The measurement of opinion leadership via the personality strength scale.
  • 10. Empirical approaches to study of public opinion. a) The beginning of public opinion research. b) Public opinion poll in the USA (Gallup organization). c) The extension of public opinion research in the world. d) The origin and development of public opinion research in Czechoslovakia. e) Criticism of public opinion poll and misuse of results the public opinion research.
  • 11. Public opinion research. a) Mass Observation (history). b) Public opinion polls in the Czech Republic nowadays. c) Study of public opinion. d) Subject of the measurement – attitude. Way of the measurement – interviewing. Instrument of the measurement – questionnaire. e) Survey phases in public opinion research. f) The use of the qualitative methods in public opinion research. g) WAPOR Code of Professional Ethics and Practices. Ethical connection of public opinion research.
  • 12. Electoral research and other political surveys. a) Electoral preferences research. b) Pre-election poll, exit poll, post-election studies. c) The role of media in public-opinion polls.
Literature
    required literature
  • MCQUAIL, D. Úvod do teorie masové komunikace. Praha: Portál, 2002. ISBN 80-7178-714-0. info
  • JIRÁK, J and B KÖPPLOVÁ. Média a společnost. Praha: Portál, 2007. ISBN 978-80-7367-287-4. info
  • MCCOMBS, M. Agenda setting : nastolování agendy: masová média a veřejné mínění. Praha: Portál, 2009. ISBN 978-80-7367-591-2. info
  • KUNŠTÁT, Daniel. České veřejné mínění: výzkum a teoretické souvislosti . Praha: SOU AV ČR, 2006. info
    recommended literature
  • CHOMSKÝ, Noam. Tajnosti, lži a demokracie. Olomou: Votobia, 1999
  • URBAN, Lukáš, Josef DUBSKÝ and Karol MURDZA. Masová komunikace : a veřejné mínění. Vyd. 1. Praha: Grada, 2011. ISBN 978-80-247-3563-4. info
  • MIŠOVIČ, Ján and KOL. Od A do Z ve výzkumech veřejného mínění. Divišov: Orego, 2010. ISBN 978-80-86741-94-9. info
  • ŠKODOVÁ, M. (ed.). Agenda-setting : teoretické přístupy. Praha: SOU AV ČR, 2008. ISBN 978-80-7330-151-4. info
  • KREJČÍ, Jindřich. Kvalita sociálněvědních výběrových šetření v České republice. Vyd. 1. Praha: Sociologické nakladatelství (SLON), 2008. ISBN 978-80-7419-001-8. info
  • VINOPAL, J. "Rozhodovací procesy při zodpovídání výzkumných dotazů.". Naše společnost. 2008, vol. 6, No 1, p. 9 – 13. ISSN 1214-438X. URL info
  • ŠKODOVÁ, Markéta. "Co je to veřejnost.". SOCIOweb. Praha: Sociologický ústav AV ČR, 2006, vol. 3. ISSN 1214-1720. URL info
  • KREJČÍ, Jindřich. Kvalita výzkumů volebních preferencí. Praha: Sociologický ústav AV ČR, 2004. ISBN 80-7330-056-7. info
  • PECÁKOVÁ, Iva, Ilja NOVÁK and Jan HERZMANN. Pořizování a vyhodnocování dat ve výzkumech veřejného mínění. Praha: Oeconomica, 2004. ISBN 80-245-0753-6. info
  • KREJČÍ, J. "Předvolební průzkumy a média.". SOCIOweb. Praha: Sociologický ústav AV ČR, 2004, vol. 3, p. 10 - 12. ISSN 1214-1720. URL info
  • JEŘÁBEK, H. „Měření názorového vůdcovství v českých sociologických výzkumech.“. Sociologický časopis. 2003, vol. 39, No 5, p. 687 – 706. ISSN 0038-0288. URL info
  • RENDLOVÁ, E and Tomáš LEBEDA. Výzkumy veřejného mínění : teoretické souvislosti a praktická aplikace. Praha: Sociologický ústav AV ČR, 2002. ISBN 80-7330-032-X. info
  • VLACHOVÁ, Klára. „Výzkumy volebních preferencí : Trnitá cesta od otázky k datům“. Revue Proglas, 2002. 3. ISSN 1803-8468. URL info
  • DISMAN, Miroslav. Jak se vyrábí sociologická znalost. Praha: Karolinum, 2000. ISBN 80-246-0139-7. info
  • HABERMAS, Jürgen. Strukturální přeměna veřejnosti. Praha: Filosofia, 2000. ISBN 80-7007-134-6. info
  • SPLICHAL, S. Public opinion : developments and controversies in the twentieth century. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 1999. ISBN 978-0-8476-9163-0. info
  • ŠUBRT, Jiří. Kapitoly ze sociologie veřejného mínění : Teorie a výzkum. Praha: Karolinum, 1998. ISBN 80-7184-522-1. info
  • SARTORI, Giovanni. Teória demokracie. Bratislava: Archa, 1993. ISBN 80-7115-049-5. info
  • CRESPI, Irving. „Polls as Journalism”. Public Opinion Quarterly. 1980, vol. 44, p. 462 - 476. ISSN 1537-5331. URL info
Teaching methods
Lectures (2 units per week) in full-time study, tutorials in part-time study; with respect to demanding character of the course it is expected presence at lessons (ca. 50 %), compulsory tutorial participation is 50 % in part-time study. In full-time study, every topic will be covered by a lectures. Lectures will be based on presentations of individual topics by the lecturer followed by a discussion.
Assessment methods
The course is closured by oral exam.
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
Information on the extent and intensity of the course: 6 hodin KS/semestr.
The course is also listed under the following terms Summer 2018, Summer 2019, Summer 2020, Summer 2021, Summer 2022.
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