PLSC 102 EXAM 3 QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS ALL CORRECT
What explains US opinions (e.g., liberal, conservative, or mixed)? - Answer- Mixed, lack
of interest, knowledge.
What are "crosscutting cleavages?" - Answer- Not fitting the mold: income, education,
age, gender, ethnicity, religion, region
According to the text, the process by which individuals acquire their opinions is called? -
Answer- political socialization
Americans who believe that government should play a substantial role in the distribution
of economic benefits, working to ensure the less advantaged get a fair share of society's
wealth can be labeled __________? - Answer- Economic liberals.
American who would use government to promote traditional values, such as enacting
laws that restrict marriage to opposite-sex couples are __________? - Answer- Cultural
(social) conservatives
People that believe government should refrain from undue intervention in the economic
marketplace and in people's private lives are __________? - Answer- Economic
conservatives; Libertarians
What is selective perception with regards to the media? - Answer- Believe what you
want to believe, dismiss what does not conform to your perceptions
What is "spin control?" - Answer- Portray stories in best light
What is "yellow journalism?" - Answer- Sensationalized news, Manufactured the
Spanish-Amerian War
What is "muckraking journalism?" - Answer- Investigated government corruption, bad
buisness practices, child labor, etc.
According to the conventions of the "objective press" where is opinion supposed to be
expressed? - Answer- Editorial pages for opinion.
What is the most common legal check on the freedom of the press? - Answer- Libel
Laws
, What is "prior restraint?" - Answer- Government tries to prevent story
What is the media "news hole?" - Answer- Time left for news, Network news hole 22
min.
What are the primary biases of the news media? - Answer- Towards conflict,
sensationalism and negativity.
What does the term "horserace journalism" refer to? - Answer- Focus on who's ahead,
not issues
Define the term "agenda setting." - Answer- Changing the agenda by adding or
subtracting issues
When did native Americans arrive in north America? - Answer- 10,000 yrs ago
What Spanish explorer claimed California for Spain in 1542? - Answer- Juan Rodriguez
Cabrillo
What Spanish explorer founded the Presidio of San Diego in 1769? - Answer- Gaspar
de Portola
The US-Mexican War (1846-1848) was resolved in what Treaty? - Answer- Treaty of
Guadalupe Hidalgo
What elements from the Progressive Era that are examples direct democracy in CA
politics? - Answer- Recall, referendum, initiative, nonpartisan elections, ballots, and
initiative risks
What are interest groups? - Answer- Set of individuals organized to promote shared
political concerns.
Interest groups have a broad or narrow set of interests? - Answer- Narrow.
Why do organized interest groups win? - Answer- influence elections, not win elections
they actually ask for benefits (where most people are silent)
campaign help needed
misperceived as broad public opinion - small but dedicated pretending they're big and
popular
What is the generic definition of collective public goods? - Answer- Benefits freely
available to everyone not just group members.
Goods that belong to all; cannot be granted or withheld on an individual basis.
ANSWERS ALL CORRECT
What explains US opinions (e.g., liberal, conservative, or mixed)? - Answer- Mixed, lack
of interest, knowledge.
What are "crosscutting cleavages?" - Answer- Not fitting the mold: income, education,
age, gender, ethnicity, religion, region
According to the text, the process by which individuals acquire their opinions is called? -
Answer- political socialization
Americans who believe that government should play a substantial role in the distribution
of economic benefits, working to ensure the less advantaged get a fair share of society's
wealth can be labeled __________? - Answer- Economic liberals.
American who would use government to promote traditional values, such as enacting
laws that restrict marriage to opposite-sex couples are __________? - Answer- Cultural
(social) conservatives
People that believe government should refrain from undue intervention in the economic
marketplace and in people's private lives are __________? - Answer- Economic
conservatives; Libertarians
What is selective perception with regards to the media? - Answer- Believe what you
want to believe, dismiss what does not conform to your perceptions
What is "spin control?" - Answer- Portray stories in best light
What is "yellow journalism?" - Answer- Sensationalized news, Manufactured the
Spanish-Amerian War
What is "muckraking journalism?" - Answer- Investigated government corruption, bad
buisness practices, child labor, etc.
According to the conventions of the "objective press" where is opinion supposed to be
expressed? - Answer- Editorial pages for opinion.
What is the most common legal check on the freedom of the press? - Answer- Libel
Laws
, What is "prior restraint?" - Answer- Government tries to prevent story
What is the media "news hole?" - Answer- Time left for news, Network news hole 22
min.
What are the primary biases of the news media? - Answer- Towards conflict,
sensationalism and negativity.
What does the term "horserace journalism" refer to? - Answer- Focus on who's ahead,
not issues
Define the term "agenda setting." - Answer- Changing the agenda by adding or
subtracting issues
When did native Americans arrive in north America? - Answer- 10,000 yrs ago
What Spanish explorer claimed California for Spain in 1542? - Answer- Juan Rodriguez
Cabrillo
What Spanish explorer founded the Presidio of San Diego in 1769? - Answer- Gaspar
de Portola
The US-Mexican War (1846-1848) was resolved in what Treaty? - Answer- Treaty of
Guadalupe Hidalgo
What elements from the Progressive Era that are examples direct democracy in CA
politics? - Answer- Recall, referendum, initiative, nonpartisan elections, ballots, and
initiative risks
What are interest groups? - Answer- Set of individuals organized to promote shared
political concerns.
Interest groups have a broad or narrow set of interests? - Answer- Narrow.
Why do organized interest groups win? - Answer- influence elections, not win elections
they actually ask for benefits (where most people are silent)
campaign help needed
misperceived as broad public opinion - small but dedicated pretending they're big and
popular
What is the generic definition of collective public goods? - Answer- Benefits freely
available to everyone not just group members.
Goods that belong to all; cannot be granted or withheld on an individual basis.
