PLS FINAL EXAM STUDY GUIDE
Rational ignorance - Answers :The view that it makes sense to remain relatively
uninformed about most political issues, given the enormous effect required to keep up
closely with even a few topics.
Nonattitudes - Answers :The lack of a stable perspective in response to opinion surveys
Information shortcuts - Answers :Cues about candidates and policies drawn from
everyday life, party preferences, and significant figures like friends/family and trusted
leaders.
Groupthink - Answers :The tendency among a small group of decision makers to
converge on a shared set of views
Mandate - Answers :Political authority claimed by an election winner as reflecting the
approval of the people.
Survey research - Answers :Systematic study of a defined population, analyzing a
representative sample's views to draw inferences about the larger public's views.
Approval rating - Answers :A measure of public support for a political figure or institution
Executive order - Answers :A presidential declaration, with the force of law, that issues
instructions to the executive branch without any requirement for congressional action or
approval
Policy agenda - Answers :The issues that the public considers important, the media
covers, and politicians discuss.
Sampling frame - Answers :A designated group of people from whom a set of poll
respondents is randomly selected.
Demographic group - Answers :People sharing specific factors: ex- age, race, religion
Likely voters - Answers :Persons identified as probable voters in an upcoming election
Framing effects - Answers :The influence, on the respondent, of how a polling question
is asked; changes in wording can change people's answers
Push poll - Answers :A form of negative campaigning that masquerades as a regular
opinion survey.
Weighting - Answers :Pollsters' method of targeting specific groups of voters by
assigning greater or lesser value to responses from those groups.
, Margin of sampling error - Answers :The degree of inaccuracy in any poll, arising from
the fact that surveys involve a sample of respondents from a population, rather than
every member.
Response bias - Answers :The tendency of poll respondents to misstate their views,
frequently to avoid "shameful" opinions like sexism or racism
Focus group - Answers :An extended discussion with a selected small group of people,
run by a trained moderator; generally yields in-depth insights into participants' political
concerns.
Boomerang effect - Answers :this effect suggest that the people switch sides in favour
of the party or candidate in second place "going with the underdog" in the run up to a
election.
Underdog effect - Answers :Sympathy for a candidate behind in the polls, contributing to
a higher-than-predicted vote total and sometimes a surprise election victory
Gender gap - Answers :Patterned differences in political opinions between women and
men
Political elites - Answers :Individuals who control significant wealth, status, power, or
visibility and who, consequently, have significant influence over public debates.
New media - Answers :On demand access to information and entertainment on digital
devices that also features interactive participation with content.
Mass media - Answers :Information and entertainment for broad popular audiences
Personal presidency - Answers :The idea that the president has a personal link to the
public.
Infotainment - Answers :The blurred line between news and entertainment
Clicktivism - Answers :Democracy enhanced through the click of a mouse
Watergate scandal - Answers :A failed effort by republican operatives to break into
Democratic Party headquarters in the watergate office complex in Washington, DC
Public ownership - Answers :A situation in which media outlets are run by the
government and paid for by tax dollars
Fairness doctrine - Answers :Regulation that required media outlets to devote equal
time to opposite perspectives
Rational ignorance - Answers :The view that it makes sense to remain relatively
uninformed about most political issues, given the enormous effect required to keep up
closely with even a few topics.
Nonattitudes - Answers :The lack of a stable perspective in response to opinion surveys
Information shortcuts - Answers :Cues about candidates and policies drawn from
everyday life, party preferences, and significant figures like friends/family and trusted
leaders.
Groupthink - Answers :The tendency among a small group of decision makers to
converge on a shared set of views
Mandate - Answers :Political authority claimed by an election winner as reflecting the
approval of the people.
Survey research - Answers :Systematic study of a defined population, analyzing a
representative sample's views to draw inferences about the larger public's views.
Approval rating - Answers :A measure of public support for a political figure or institution
Executive order - Answers :A presidential declaration, with the force of law, that issues
instructions to the executive branch without any requirement for congressional action or
approval
Policy agenda - Answers :The issues that the public considers important, the media
covers, and politicians discuss.
Sampling frame - Answers :A designated group of people from whom a set of poll
respondents is randomly selected.
Demographic group - Answers :People sharing specific factors: ex- age, race, religion
Likely voters - Answers :Persons identified as probable voters in an upcoming election
Framing effects - Answers :The influence, on the respondent, of how a polling question
is asked; changes in wording can change people's answers
Push poll - Answers :A form of negative campaigning that masquerades as a regular
opinion survey.
Weighting - Answers :Pollsters' method of targeting specific groups of voters by
assigning greater or lesser value to responses from those groups.
, Margin of sampling error - Answers :The degree of inaccuracy in any poll, arising from
the fact that surveys involve a sample of respondents from a population, rather than
every member.
Response bias - Answers :The tendency of poll respondents to misstate their views,
frequently to avoid "shameful" opinions like sexism or racism
Focus group - Answers :An extended discussion with a selected small group of people,
run by a trained moderator; generally yields in-depth insights into participants' political
concerns.
Boomerang effect - Answers :this effect suggest that the people switch sides in favour
of the party or candidate in second place "going with the underdog" in the run up to a
election.
Underdog effect - Answers :Sympathy for a candidate behind in the polls, contributing to
a higher-than-predicted vote total and sometimes a surprise election victory
Gender gap - Answers :Patterned differences in political opinions between women and
men
Political elites - Answers :Individuals who control significant wealth, status, power, or
visibility and who, consequently, have significant influence over public debates.
New media - Answers :On demand access to information and entertainment on digital
devices that also features interactive participation with content.
Mass media - Answers :Information and entertainment for broad popular audiences
Personal presidency - Answers :The idea that the president has a personal link to the
public.
Infotainment - Answers :The blurred line between news and entertainment
Clicktivism - Answers :Democracy enhanced through the click of a mouse
Watergate scandal - Answers :A failed effort by republican operatives to break into
Democratic Party headquarters in the watergate office complex in Washington, DC
Public ownership - Answers :A situation in which media outlets are run by the
government and paid for by tax dollars
Fairness doctrine - Answers :Regulation that required media outlets to devote equal
time to opposite perspectives
