KENNY POLI 2051 EXAM 2
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS(GRADED
A+)
public opinion - ANSWERthe collected attitudes of citizens on a given issue or
question
why is public opinion important? - ANSWERIn a democracy, there must be a link
between what the public thinks and what the government does -- the nature of this
link can vary greatly
who is most interested in public opinion? - ANSWERelected officials: public opinion
may influence government decision making
academics: seek to understand why people behave the way that they do
the people: may be motivated to become active in politics
Is the public capable of governing? How would you know? - ANSWERSurveys show
that people:
○ Are not very interested in politics
○ Are ignorant of much that goes on politically
○ Rely heavily on cues/shortcuts rather than informed issue positions
■ Endorsements, political polls, trusted individuals
political socialization - ANSWERa complex process through which individuals
become aware of politics , learn political facts, and form political values. (develop a
party attachment, nature vs. nurture)
we learn these things and they occur throughout our lives (socialization) -
ANSWERgenerational effects, life cycle effects, period effects
generational effects - ANSWERspecific age group uniquely affected by set of
historical events (ex. vietnam and great depression)
life cycle effects - ANSWERpolitical views are influenced by maturation (ex. young
people are less politically engaged)
period effects - ANSWERhistorical events affect everyone (ex. 9/11)
agents of socialization - ANSWERfamily, community and peers, school, mass media
family - ANSWER*strongest influence on individuals
-you learn partisan identification from your parents
-you can't ask people directly what their party is, but you can ask them what party
their parents are (strongest predictor)
community and peers - ANSWERhave a powerful influence, even into adulthood
, - the idea of peer pressure -- we live in certain neighborhoods, churches, groups
school - ANSWERteaches you importance of voting, civic education, being a good
citizen, patriotism, authority figures; teaches you respect for existing social orders
- doesn't always teach you the same things family does
mass media - ANSWERcan have an influence due to opinions that are found in pop
culture/ music
our behavior may be based on our _______. - ANSWERbiology
how do we know what public opinion is? - ANSWERwe have to guess, but now we
do polls
the statistical theory of sampling - ANSWERa sample of individuals selected by
chance from any population is representative of that population
what determines the accuracy of a poll? - ANSWERthe way the sample is selected,
the size of the sample, the way the survey is put together
question wording - ANSWER○ Survey responses on "welfare" vs. "assisting the
poor"
○ Leading questions → respondents are led to select on a particular position; other
responses are set-up to seem undesirable or wrong
○ Social desirability
○ Question clarity
○ Double-barreled question
○ Question require knowledge the person doesn't have
question ordering - ANSWERsurvey responses on question about whether reporters
should be able to report the news from other countries as they see fit
push polls - ANSWERnot actually polls; poses as a survey designed to implant
negative information about an opponent in voters' minds
exit polls - ANSWERis taken immediately after voters have exited the polling
stations; conduct exit polls to gain an early indication as to how the election will turn
out
likely voters - ANSWERthe group of individuals estimated who are most likely to
vote; age eligible voter only show for about 50%
bandwagon affect - ANSWERyou watch a poll, see the results, and the leading
opinion guides your decision
underdog affect - ANSWERyou vote for someone who doesn't seem like they'll win
polls affect candidates and politicians - ANSWERif the public opinion is strongly for
or against an issue, it causes the candidate/ politician to think/ act differently
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS(GRADED
A+)
public opinion - ANSWERthe collected attitudes of citizens on a given issue or
question
why is public opinion important? - ANSWERIn a democracy, there must be a link
between what the public thinks and what the government does -- the nature of this
link can vary greatly
who is most interested in public opinion? - ANSWERelected officials: public opinion
may influence government decision making
academics: seek to understand why people behave the way that they do
the people: may be motivated to become active in politics
Is the public capable of governing? How would you know? - ANSWERSurveys show
that people:
○ Are not very interested in politics
○ Are ignorant of much that goes on politically
○ Rely heavily on cues/shortcuts rather than informed issue positions
■ Endorsements, political polls, trusted individuals
political socialization - ANSWERa complex process through which individuals
become aware of politics , learn political facts, and form political values. (develop a
party attachment, nature vs. nurture)
we learn these things and they occur throughout our lives (socialization) -
ANSWERgenerational effects, life cycle effects, period effects
generational effects - ANSWERspecific age group uniquely affected by set of
historical events (ex. vietnam and great depression)
life cycle effects - ANSWERpolitical views are influenced by maturation (ex. young
people are less politically engaged)
period effects - ANSWERhistorical events affect everyone (ex. 9/11)
agents of socialization - ANSWERfamily, community and peers, school, mass media
family - ANSWER*strongest influence on individuals
-you learn partisan identification from your parents
-you can't ask people directly what their party is, but you can ask them what party
their parents are (strongest predictor)
community and peers - ANSWERhave a powerful influence, even into adulthood
, - the idea of peer pressure -- we live in certain neighborhoods, churches, groups
school - ANSWERteaches you importance of voting, civic education, being a good
citizen, patriotism, authority figures; teaches you respect for existing social orders
- doesn't always teach you the same things family does
mass media - ANSWERcan have an influence due to opinions that are found in pop
culture/ music
our behavior may be based on our _______. - ANSWERbiology
how do we know what public opinion is? - ANSWERwe have to guess, but now we
do polls
the statistical theory of sampling - ANSWERa sample of individuals selected by
chance from any population is representative of that population
what determines the accuracy of a poll? - ANSWERthe way the sample is selected,
the size of the sample, the way the survey is put together
question wording - ANSWER○ Survey responses on "welfare" vs. "assisting the
poor"
○ Leading questions → respondents are led to select on a particular position; other
responses are set-up to seem undesirable or wrong
○ Social desirability
○ Question clarity
○ Double-barreled question
○ Question require knowledge the person doesn't have
question ordering - ANSWERsurvey responses on question about whether reporters
should be able to report the news from other countries as they see fit
push polls - ANSWERnot actually polls; poses as a survey designed to implant
negative information about an opponent in voters' minds
exit polls - ANSWERis taken immediately after voters have exited the polling
stations; conduct exit polls to gain an early indication as to how the election will turn
out
likely voters - ANSWERthe group of individuals estimated who are most likely to
vote; age eligible voter only show for about 50%
bandwagon affect - ANSWERyou watch a poll, see the results, and the leading
opinion guides your decision
underdog affect - ANSWERyou vote for someone who doesn't seem like they'll win
polls affect candidates and politicians - ANSWERif the public opinion is strongly for
or against an issue, it causes the candidate/ politician to think/ act differently
