The Family, the School, and the Political Socialization Process

Abstract

Much of the literature on political socialization has tended to stress the role of the family in forming the early political attitudes and ideas of children. This study examines the extent to which parental political ideas and attitudes are transmitted to offspring. In order to test this relationship the authors conducted a study of 627 school children between the ages of 11-17, and a sample of their parents. In this way it was possible to trace more accurately than in previous studies the extent of the putative relationship between parental political dispositions and children's attitudes. In addition, it analyses the relative influence of school-type (grammar or secondary modem), parental education and socio-economic status on dependent variables such as political knowledge, sense of political efficacy, and political interest, of the children.