Chapter 6

Sampling Frame

A designated group of people from whom a set of poll respondents is randomly selected.

Push Poll

A form of negative campaigning that masquerades as a regular opinion survey. They are usually conducted by a campaign or allied group and feature strongly critical or unflattering information about an opponent.

Approval Rating

A measure of public support for a political figure or institution.

Voter Turnout

A measure of what proportion of eligible voters actually casts a legitimate ballot in a given election.

Civic Voluntarism

Citizens voluntarily participating in public life without government incentives or coercion (speaking at a town meeting, getting together to build a playground, cleaning up the litter in town.

Information Shortcuts

Cues about candidates and policies drawn from everyday life.

Clicktivism

Democratic engagement in an online age: point your mouse, click, and you have donated funds, "like" a candidate, or (in some states) even cast your vote.

Political Mobilization

Efforts to encourage people to engage in the public sphere: to vote for a particular candidate (and donate money, work on the campaign, etc.) or to get involved in specific issues.

Traditional Participation

Engaging in politics through the formal channels of government and society.

Political Voice

Exercising one's public rights, often through speaking out in protest or in favor of some policy change.

Irrationality of Voting

For most individuals, the cost of voting (acquiring necessary information, traveling to polling site, and waiting in line) outweighs the apparent benefits. Economic theory would predict very low voter turnout, given this analysis.

Policy Agenda

Individuals who control significant wealth, status, power, or visibility and who consequently, have significant influence over public debates.

Issue Advocacy

Organized effort to advance (or block) a proposed public policy change.

Direct Action

Participating outside of normal political and social channels through civil disobedience, demonstrations, and even riots.

Demographic Group

People sharing specific factors: for example, age, ethnicity/race, religion, or country of origin.

Likely Voters

Persons identified as probable voters in an upcoming election. Often preferred by polling organizations, but difficult to specify with great accuracy.

Mandate

Political authority claimed by an election winner as reflecting the approval of the people.

Framing Effects

The influence, on the respondent, of how a polling question is asked; changes in wording can significantly alter many people's answers.

Civil Disobedience

Protesting laws one considers unjust by refusing to obey them-and accepting the punishment.

Electoral Activities

Public engagement in the form of voting, running for office, volunteering on a campaign, or otherwise participating in elections.

Social Capital

Relations between people that build closer ties of trust and civic engagement, yielding productive benefits for the larger society.

Din

Shorthand for the sheer volume of information and noise generated by online sources. It can be a disincentive to participate politically.

Underdog Effect

Sympathy for a candidate behind in the polls, contributing to a higher than predicted vote total- and sometimes a surprise election victory.

Survey Research

Systematic study of a defined population, analyzing a representative samples' views to draw interferences about the larger public's views. Also termed opinion poll.

Margin of Sampling Error

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.

Boomerang Effect

The discrepancy between candidates' high poll ratings and election performance, caused by supporters' assumption that an easy win means they need not turn out.

Policy Agenda

The issues that the media covers, the public considers important, and politicians address. Setting the agenda is the first step in political action.

Political socialization

The process by which individuals acquire their political values and outlooks.

Groupthink

The tendency among a small group of decision makers to converge on a shared set of views. It can limit creative thinking or solutions to policy problems.

Response Bias

The tendency of poll respondents to misstate their views, frequently to avoid "shameful" opinions that might appear sexist or racist.

Bandwagon Effect

When people join a cause because it seems popular or support a candidate who is leading in the polls.