The quality of public opinion at this stage is raw and unformed. However, when people's views have progressed through all seven stages of public opinion, their ideas become solid and stable, and they accept the consequences of the views they hold. When public opinion is fully developed, opinion surveys will reveal a reliable and stable picture of people's thinking, a picture which accurately reflects their values, priorities, and beliefs. In this stage, people become aware of an issue, but do not yet feel a pressing need to take action. For instance, surveys show that most Americans say child care is a serious problem when they are questioned about it, but it rarely surfaces when people are asked to name the most important issues facing the country.
People acknowledge the problem, but there is little real urgency .
Americans are aware of many problems, but only a few rise to the top of their list of priorities. Distinguishing between awareness and urgency is essential to interpreting public opinion correctly. In Stage 2, people move beyond awareness to a sense of urgency. Health care moved squarely into this second stage when the economic recession of the early 1990s had many people terrified about losing their jobs. Much of this anxiety was channeled into worry about insurance coverage.