This study seeks to demonstrate that while technology has rapidly
exploded and news outlets have become more widespread and more accessible approximately
the same numbers of people are aware of current national and international
events as in the 1980s. According to
this study they determined that education proved to be the highest indicator of
political current event knowledge, and men tended to score higher than women as
well as people over the age of sixty-five. Income also showed to be a factor, with higher
income people having a great knowledge base than those with less income. If broken down these factors become logical,
those who receive a formal education are more likely to have a broader knowledge
and more of an interest in politics.
This study also made the connection that
people who were more informed about politics were more involved in the government
and took part in voting more often than those who were less informed. This is a vital connection, because it shows
that people who know what is going on feel like they are a part of it and thus
participate in it. This article demonstrates
to me the need to follow current events to have a better understanding of
national and international events, political policies, and even political
figures; it is obvious with more access to news media than ever before it is
vital to stay connected to what is occurring in our nation and around the world.
After taking this quiz
I scored nine out of thirteen correctly, and it really opened my eyes to how
little I know or can identify particularly with political figures. The quiz is available
at http://www.pewresearch.org/quiz/the-news-iq-quiz/
and the article can be found at http://www.people-press.org/2007/04/15/public-knowledge-of-current-affairs-little-changed-by-news-and-information-revolutions/
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