What is the effect of ideology on public opinion in America?  Do people really think in ideological terms?  Does the liberal conservative dimension adequately capture how Americans feel about political issues?

Political ideology is a coherent set of beliefs about politics, public policy, and public purpose. It helps give meaning to political events, personalities, and policies. The effects of ideology on public opinion (the distribution of the population's beliefs about politics and policy issues) is that the different views that are given, the more opinion is going to form in America. Not many people think in ideological terms. Over the years is was recorded that around 20% or less actually think ideologically.