Introduction to American Politics Chapter 6 Public Opinion

In general, surveys of public opinion that __________ cell phones and that take place __________ in a campaign tend to be the most predictive of the election's outcome.

include; late

Which method of survey administration is most likely to give a random sample?

random digit dialing

What is the relationship between policy mood and domestic policies?

- expansion of government--activist policy mood - contraction of government--conservative policy mood

In a scientific poll, what sample size is generally sufficient for accurately measuring national public opinion?

1,000

Which of the following statements are correct regarding Americans' trust in government?

Correct: - Americans' trust in government was declining before the Watergate scandal. - American trust in government decreases when the economy is doing poorly. Incorrect: - Today the majority of individuals trust in the government. - Richard Nixon's Watergate scandal ruined Americans' trust in government.

Which of the following statements articulate why public opinion matters?

Correct: - Citizens' political actions are driven by their opinions. - Understanding public opinion helps us understand the behavior of politicians. Incorrect: - Government policy always reflects shifts in public opinion.

Based on the information in the graph, which statements are correct or incorrect regarding the nature of ideological polarization in the electorate?

Correct: - Ideological polarization is low. - More individuals identify as moderate than anything else. Incorrect: - Ideological polarization is high. - People are far more conservative now than they were previously.

How does a person's level of interest in politics influence their opinions on politics?

Correct: - More interested people tend to have more preformed opinions about politics. Incorrect: - More interested people tend to be more liberal. - More interested people are typically better able to explain their reasons for being liberal or conservative. - More interested people tend to be more Republican.

Which statements best describe how people form opinions?

Correct: - Most people form opinions on the spot. - Most people rely on a wide range of considerations to form opinions. Incorrect: - Most people have preformed opinions. - Most people rely on only one or two considerations when forming opinions.

Which of the following statements about considerations are correct?

Correct: - One set of considerations can contradict another set of considerations. - Some of the most important considerations are citizens' partisanship and religious beliefs. Incorrect: - Considerations tend to be uninfluenced by political events. - By drawing on considerations, people are able to articulate stable policy positions.

Choose all of the following reasons that can explain why voters give unreliable answers to survey questions?

Correct: - People tend not to think about political issues before being asked. - People may be conflicted on the issue. - People may be influenced by the political discourse of journalists and politicians. - People may be unwilling to admit they do not know much about an issue. Incorrect:

Which of the following reasons explain why Pew's prediction of the general election out predicted Rasmussen's?

Correct: - Rasmussen did not have a sufficiently random sample. - Rasmussen used a computer script. Incorrect: - Rasmussen did not have a large enough sample. - Rasmussen did not adjust their results.

Which of the following statements are correct, regarding the relationship between group identity and attitudes on the issue of abortion?

Correct: - Respondents with higher income are more supportive of abortion for any reason than respondents with lower income. - Respondents' education strongly predicts feelings on whether or not abortions for any reason are OK. Incorrect: - Respondents' gender strongly predicts feelings on whether or not abortions for any reason are OK. - Younger respondents are less supportive of abortions for any reason than older respondents.

Choose all of the following that are true about latent opinions.

Correct: - These opinions are constructed as needed. - Most Americans' political views are latent opinions. Incorrect: - They reflect deeply held beliefs. - They are more likely to be held by conservatives than moderates.

Why has Congress failed to repeal the Affordable Care Act, enact immigration reform, or limit ownership of handguns?

Correct: - a lack of public consensus on each issue Incorrect: - members of Congress too concerned about what's best for their party - willful ignorance of public opinion

When someone is asked for an opinion on a question they haven't thought much about, they tend to

Correct: - base their responses on a set of general considerations. Incorrect: - manage to offer well-thought-out answers. - pick randomly among the survey responses. - refuse to answer the survey question.

Which of the following aspects of socialization are likely to shape political opinions?

Correct: - growing up in a homogeneous community - taking a civics class in high school - discussing politics with one's parents - participating in a political campaign Incorrect:

When politicians seek to shape national opinion, what actions are they most likely to take?

Correct: - influence the behavior of other elected officials - publicize opinions people already hold Incorrect: - change what citizens believe about the issue

Choose all of the following factors that can influence political attitudes.

Correct: - politicians - socialization - important events Incorrect:

Which of the following elements do pollsters have to consider before conducting a poll that will forecast the election?

Correct: - the sample size - wording of survey questions - ability to randomly select respondents Incorrect: - ensuring that respondents give socially desirable answers

Which of the following components can drive how individuals feel about an issue such as gun control?

Correct: - their political ideology - political events involving guns - their political background - their general tolerance of government regulation Incorrect:

Which statement accurately reflects the nature of American public opinion?

Correct: - most people have a range of opinions-some are well formed and others are formed on the spot Incorrect: - most people have no meaningful political opinions on any issue - most people have well-formed opinions on most issues

Why does opinion intensity matter?

If a majority is not particularly intense in its views, then it is possible that the intensely held minority view might become policy instead.

Which of the following statements about surveys and samples is correct?

It is possible to estimate the countries opinion based on a small sample of 1,000 to 1,200 people.

Which statement best characterizes the issue positions favored by most American citizens?

Most favor a mix of liberal and conservative issue positions.

What is policy mood?

The extent to which the public wants government action on a specific issue

Which type of opinion is more likely to be chosen on the spot as opposed to being stable over time?

an opinion about whether the capital gains tax should be increased

Most people initially acquire their political orientation from _______, while friends ______________ important role in shaping opinion as one gets older.

family; play a more

Government policy __________ to public opinion; public opinion __________ to government policy.

responds; responds

When political actors discuss an issue that the voter is unfamiliar with, the voter takes account of the expert's opinions only if

the voter generally agrees with the expert