Explain how public opinion is formed in the United States, including political socialization by families, education, peers, the media, opinion leaders, and the influence of events.

Public opinion is formed when a child is younger and as the child continues to grow, the child learns more about his or her political environment.

Explanation:

Public opinion is is the gathering of beliefs and attitudes relating to political issues. The individual opinions are gathered and analysed by public policy makers for analysis and interpretation. The analysis shows how the public feels so the information gotten can be used to make decisions relating to public concerns.

Citizens base their political opinions on their attitude and beliefs which begin to form since childhood. Over time, our attitude and beliefs about people and ideas will become norms about what we feel the government should do in certain situations.

As our attitudes and political beliefs are formed during childhood, socialization takes place and we get to learn from different information sources about the society we live in and its political system. Political socialization is the complex process where one is trained to understand one's country’s political system and offer political views about its operation. As kids, we may become aware of politics by hearing politicians speak on television or watching a parent vote. This shapes our mindset till we grow.