The hallmark of this text, the third volume in the New Directions in Political Behavior series, is its social science perspective. With this in mind, the author models the discussion of each topic on the social scientific process by asking if theories exists to explain personal observations in politics and the media and if there is evidence to support the theories. Students can then put theory into practice with end-of-chapter Active Learning exercises that provide real-world examples of important concepts and ask students to collect and analyze data from various print and electronic media sources.

In response to important research in the field, the text includes an entire chapter on agenda setting—the media's ability to insert issues into public consciousness or increase perceived importance—which illuminates the related concepts of priming and framing.

• Data Sets from the NES and GSS can be downloaded from the Mass Media and Politics web site.
• Current examples throughout the text highlight recent elections and current events.
• An extensive glossary includes media and political terms.