The Child's Image of Government

Abstract

To maintain a social construct as varied, exten sive, and demanding of social resources as government, a broad panoply of forces need to be set in motion to provide the requisite support. The political socialization of new members is one of the most far-reaching and most consequential of these forces. The political system must somehow provide a flow of information about and continuously create deep feelings of loyalty and obedience for its basic forms. One of these is its government or authorities. Government is a primary focus for the generation of politically supportive or disaffective orienta tions. The data here presented suggest that in the United States a supportive image of government is being widely and regularly reproduced for young new members. The average grade school child of the test group appears to experience some rather basic changes in his conception of government— changes which move him toward a cognitive image that con forms to the requirements of a democratic political system. We know as well, from what little evidence there is directly about support for government per se, that adult Americans are also highly supportive of their government. These explora tory data illustrate the growth of the deep roots of this sup portive sentiment.—Ed.