Colors of Socialization: Political and Deliberative Development among Older Adolescents in 10 States, 2006-2007

Colors of Socialization: Political and Deliberative Development among Older Adolescents in 10 States, 2006-2007 is a panel study of high school seniors in five red states and five blue states who were interviewed before (t1) and after (t2) the 2006 midterm elections, with a subset of respondents measured again (t3) in 2007. States were selected to provide variance in terms of regional influence, sociopolitical culture, and state size. Survey questions assessed respondents' opinions on political issues, their depth of political knowledge, and frequency of political participation. Additionally, aggregate data regarding candidate news releases, political advertisements, and newspaper content were collected to assess media coverage during the 2006 state-wide campaigns. Analytical possibilities include the documenting of effects at the individual and contextual levels, along with cross-level interactions. Demographic variables include race, gender, age, economic position, and educational attainment of a respondent's mother and father.