Читать книгу Political Science For Dummies - Marcus A. Stadelmann - Страница 79

Although most people won’t change their political attitudes and behavior during their lifetime, a few do. There are two ways that can happen. First, there is adult socialization. This can be brought about by economic changes in a person’s life. A person can grow up poor and a staunch Democrat. However, later in life, he grows wealthy, moves to a nice neighborhood, and is now surrounded by conservative peers. This can change his political attitudes. He becomes conservative, especially on economic issues.

The second way a person can change his political attitudes is through a process called elite socialization. This can happen if a person makes it into an elite group, such as a business group or a political group. A good example are new members of the U.S. Senate. They start out rebellious, wanting to change things around in the Senate. They may want to change the rules of conduct or propose radical policies. Over time, they figure out that unless they change their political attitudes and behavior, they’ll be very unsuccessful Senators never passing any bills. This can cost them reelection. To be a successful Senator, they’ll have to work through the system and adapt. As soon as they do, elite socialization has happened, and it has changed their political attitudes and behavior.