POLS Final Exam -- Past exams

According to your text... A. The South is especially distinctive in terms of public opinion B. The South is very similar to the Pacific Northwest in terms of public opinion C. The South is very similar to New England in terms of pubic opinion D. None of the above

A. The South is especially distinctive in terms of public opinion

As noted in your text... A. The most religiously committed Americans are most likely to hold conservative views, regardless of the specific religious affiliation B. Very committed to Muslims are more likely to vote Democrat and Republican C. Religion plays no part in political attitudes in the US D. All of the above

A. The most religiously committed Americans are most likely to hold conservative views, regardless of the specific religious affiliation

According to Greenberg and Page... A. The phrasing of a question on a political survey often influences the response B. It is becoming more and more easy to draw a random sample for polls conducted by phone C. Online surveys are the most reliable kind D. All of the above

A. The phrasing of a question on a political survey often influences the response

According to your text, the Occupy Wall Street movement A. Was focused on economic unfairness in the US B. Developed in response to high housing prices in Manhattan C. Was funded by an oil fortune D. All of the above

A. Was focused on economic unfairness in the US

Greenberg and Page provides framework for understanding American politics, categorizing the main factors of political life. According to this framework, federalism, culture and demographics fall into the category of..? A.Structure B. Political linkage C. Government action D. None of the above

A.Structure

As discussed in class, fascism views human beings as...? A. Rational and self-interested individuals B. "Bundles" of people locked in conflict with each other C. Extremely virtuous and noble D. None of the above

B. "Bundles" of people locked in conflict with each other

As discussed in class, impeachment is..? A. A commonly used "direct democracy" tool available to the general public B. A legal process targeting members of the executive and judicial branches C. Not allowed under the US Constitution D. All of the above

B. A legal process targeting members of the executive and judicial branches

Greenberg and Page point out that, in terms of ownership of the news media, A. Government regulations ensure that ownership is diverse and decentralized B. A small number of companies own an increasingly large share of media outlets C. The government has a monopoly on the media, making news a "public good" D. None of the above

B. A small number of companies own an increasingly large share of media outlets

Your test notes that the concept of democracy originated in? A. The United States B. Ancient Greece C. Ancient Rome D. Prehistoric Africa

B. Ancient Greece

If a movie star is quoted in discussions on poverty, this is most likely that fallacy of..? A. Appeal to ignorance B. Appeal to inappropriate authority C. Appeal to popular attitudes D. None of the above

B. Appeal to inappropriate authority

Attempting to make people afraid is a common example of the fallacy of...? A. Appeal to popular belief B. Appeal to popular attitudes C. Definitional dodge D. Ad hominem

B. Appeal to popular attitudes

In their discussion of how political attitudes differ along racial/ethic lines, Greenberg and Page note that Americans of Mexican, Central American, or Puerto Rican ancestry...? A. Are very conservative on economic matters B. Are quite liberal on economic matters C. Tend to belong to the Republican party D. None of the above

B. Are quite liberal on economic matters

Which ideology would like to see a reduction in economic inequality, as well as are government involvement to uphold certain social/moral norms? A. Conservative B. Communitarian C. Libertarian D. Liberal

B. Communitarian

The ideological label most generally associated with support for the status quo is...? A. Liberal B. Conservative C. Marxism D. None of the above

B. Conservative

Your text notes that the reason why democracy is appealing as a form of government include all of the following except? A. Democracies best protect human rights B. Democracies get things done very efficiently C. Democracies are stable and long-lasting D. Democracy is conductive to economic growth

B. Democracies get things done very efficiently

When A is identified as the cause of B just because A happened before B, this is known as a...? A. Fallacy of hasty generalization B. False cause, or post hoc fallacy C. False dilemma fallacy D. None of the above

B. False cause, or post hoc fallacy

The classical conservative view of human nature is that humans are...? A. Rational, self-interested and therefore capable of self-rule B. Flawed, impulsive and controlled by their passions C. Naturally driven by racial and culture differences D. None of the above

B. Flawed, impulsive and controlled by their passions

According to Chua, the new billionaire populism...? A. Means that being "anti-establishment" is the same thing as being "anti-rich" B. Has deep roots in American history C. Is not related to anything previously seen in American culture D. Is proof that working-class voters are too stupid to know a con when they see on

B. Has deep roots in American history

According to your text, corporate ownership of the media A. Is universally considered a good thing for democratic government B. Is criticized by some for increasing the presence of business in American politics and failing to provide substantive information C. Both A and B D. None of the above

B. Is criticized by some for increasing the presence of business in American politics and failing to provide substantive information

The US, with its emphasis on individual rights and liberties, is an examples of a...? A. Communist state B. Liberal democracy C. Social democracy D. People's democracy

B. Liberal democracy

Chua argues that Americans' political positions today -- both liberal and conservative -- are driven primarily by..? A. Individual self-interst B. Loyalty to affinity groups C. Religious beliefs D. None of the above

B. Loyalty to affinity groups

A view of human nature in terms of class divisions is characteristic of...? A. Liberalism B. Marxism C. Conservatism D. None of the above

B. Marxism

As discussed in class, Americans tend to be...? A. Less religious than people in other modern democracies B. More religious than people in other modern democracies C. Equally religious with people in other modern democracies D. None of the above

B. More religious than people in other modern democracies

According to Greenberg and Page... A. Most Americans are very well informed about politics and government B. Most Americans do not know much about politics and government C. Educated citizens are a danger to our system of government D. None of the above

B. Most Americans do not know much about politics and government

According to the framework in your text, public opinion, media, and interest groups fall into the category of..? A.Structure B. Political linkage C. Government action D. None of the above

B. Political linkage

When elected officials place a policy on the ballot to be voted on by the people, this is known as a(n)...? A. Initiative B. Referendum C. Impeachment D. None of the above

B. Referendum

As defined in your text, oligarchy is...? A. Rule by the many B. Rule by the few, where a minority group hold power over a majority C. Basically the same thing as communism D. None of the above

B. Rule by the few, where a minority group hold power over a majority

As noted in class, the dimension of pubic opinion that is measured through open-ended surgery questions is A. Breadth B. Salence C. Intensity D. All the above

B. Salence

As discussed in your text, recent changes in geographic location of the American population is shifting political power to the..? A. Midwest B. Sun Belt of the West and South C. East Coast D. Pacific Northwest

B. Sun Belt of the West and South

Marx predicted that...? A. Capitalist would rule forever by virtue of campaign contributions B. That state would wither away, leaving a classless society C. A proletariat dictatorship would be established permanently D. Starbucks would take over the world

B. That state would wither away, leaving a classless society

Popular sovereignty is defined by your text as...? A. Majority tyranny B. The notion that the people are the ultimate source of government authority and of the policies that government leaders make C. The idea that each person carries the same weight in the conduct of public business D. None of the above

B. The notion that the people are the ultimate source of government authority and of the policies that government leaders make

As discussed in class, A. Polling questions must be carefully designed to get a true picture of public opinion B. All polls are equally credible C. A and B D. None of the above

C. A and B

According to Brooks, the primary threat to the sacred order in 2018 is...? A. The state B. Communism C. A radical individualism that leads to vicious tribalism D. None of the above

C. A radical individualism that leads to vicious tribalism

When Occupy activists expressed grievances over inequality, a common response was that they should "take a bath". This is an example of the fallacy of...? A. Begging the question B. Definitional dodge C. Ad hominem D. Straw man

C. Ad hominem

Greenberg and Page mention all of the following as core beliefs of American political culture, except...? A. Individualism B. Populism C. Affection for elites D. Belief in democracy and freedom

C. Affection for elites

According to your text, A. American news media are not allowed to make a profit B. American media owners tend to put the public interest ahead of profit C. American news media sometimes lay off reporters and provide "infotainment" in their pursuit of profit D. All of the above

C. American news media sometimes lay off reporters and provide "infotainment" in their pursuit of profit

According to your text...? A. Americans have a high degree of trust in government B. Distrust of government has only recently emerged in American political culture C. Americans have distrusted government from the beginning D. All of the above

C. Americans have distrusted government from the beginning

According to your text A. Americans still have a high degree of trust in the gov B. A majority of Americans feel that the country is moving in the right direction C. Americans think more highly of cockroaches and rot canals than they do of Congress D. All the above

C. Americans think more highly of cockroaches and rot canals than they do of Congress

As explained in class, a focusing event is A. When politicians gather focus groups to determine what they think on specific issues B. When a social movement holds a rally to pressure policy-makers to focus on an issue C. An occurrence that causes public opinion to focus on a particular issue in a more intense and sometimes different way D. None of the above

C. An occurrence that causes public opinion to focus on a particular issue in a more intense and sometimes different way

Asserting that something is true because it's "common knowledge" that "everybody knows" is a(n)...? A. Appeal to inappropriate authority B. Appeal to ignorance C. Appeal to popular belief D. Slippery slope

C. Appeal to popular belief

A good example of a public good would be? A. National defense B. Public safety C. Both A and B D. None of the above

C. Both A and B

According to Greenberg and Page, the American middle class...? A. Is in trouble by several measures B. May account for the volatility of recent elections and rising incivility in our civic life C. Both A and B D. None of the above

C. Both A and B

According to your text, some object to representative democracy on the grounds that: A. "Majority tyranny" may threaten individual liberty B. The people are irrational and incompetent C. Both A and B D. None of the above

C. Both A and B

According to your text...? A. Religious belief has been important in drawing ideological lines B. Polls show that the most religiously committed Americans are the most conservative C. Both A and B D. None of the above

C. Both A and B

As discussed in class, political socialization...? A. Referes to the process by which political values are transmitted to the next generation B. Can be direct or indirect C. Both A and B D. None of the above

C. Both A and B

As discussed in class, public goods are characterized by A. Joint consumption B. Non-excludability C. Both A and B D. None of the above

C. Both A and B

As discussed in class, the US was established as a..? A. Democracy B. Republic C. Both A and B D. None of the above

C. Both A and B

As noted in class, American political culture...? A. Has historically been considered quite consensual B. Appears to be moving in a conflictual direction C. Both A and B D. None of the above

C. Both A and B

As noted in class, the power and importance of media in American politics comes from the fact that A. Media engage in agenda-setting B. Media have the power to generate images, which shape perceptions C. Both A and B D. None of the above

C. Both A and B

As noted in class, the rise of street reporting and online blogging is considered A. A good thing in that the news is being generated by the grassroots, with no "gatekeepers" B. A bad thing in that some reporting does not meet professional journalistic standards C. Both A and B D. None of the above

C. Both A and B

Political culture...? A. Composed of the most deeply held values and beliefs B. Held collectively by the society C. Both A and B D. None of the above

C. Both A and B

What is it called when we expect our elected officials to represent the wishes of the voters, regardless of their own opinions? A. Direct democracy B. Trustee model of representation C. Delegate model of representation D. None of the above

C. Delegate model of representation

When the media provide a context for interpretation of stories, impacting how people think about political problems, this is known as A. Agenda-setting B. Prior restraint C. Framing D. None of the above

C. Framing

The increasing tendency of information, products, and financial capital to flow across national borders is labeled in your text as...? A. Capitalism B. Hegemony C. Globalization D. None of the above

C. Globalization

According to your text, poverty in the US...? A. Is concentrated among white populations and two-parent households B. Has virtually disappeared ever since the "War on Poverty" in the 1960s C. Has proved to be surprisingly persistent D. All of the above

C. Has proved to be surprisingly persistent

According to the lecture, democratic socialism...? A. Is identical to the kind of system that ruled the Soviet Union B. Is an accurate label for China's current government C. Includes some Marxist ideas but emphasizes democratic processes D. Is unconstitutional in the US

C. Includes some Marxist ideas but emphasizes democratic processes

Greenberg and Page note that the US...? A. Is experiencing lower population growth than most other rich democracies B. Is growing in population about the same rate as most other rich democracies C. Is experiencing higher population growth than most other rich democracies D. None of the above

C. Is experiencing higher population growth than most other rich democracies

The American version of classical conservatism was first articulated by..? A. John Locke B. Edmund Burke C. John Adams C. Karl Marx

C. John Adams

Someone today who wants to lower, taxes, legalizes drugs and provide for only a minimal defense would be called a...? A. Liberal B. Conservative C. Libertarian D. Fascist

C. Libertarian

According to the lecture, a decline commitment to democratic values is being observed among...? A. The generation that fought World War II B. Baby boomers C. Milennials D. None of the above

C. Milennials

The principle that citizens in a democracy are protected from government interference in the exercise f several basic freedom is known as...? A. Popular sovereignty B. Political equality C. Political liberty D. Democracy

C. Political liberty

As discussed in class, a democratic system that promotes some degree of economic equality in order to foster political equality is known as..? A. Communist state B. Liberal democracy C. Social democracy D. All of the above

C. Social democracy

American "liberals" today call for a very different role for government than classical liberalism did. What historical even caused this change, as discussed in class? A. The Civil War B. The American Revolution C. The Industrial Revolution D. The French Revolution

C. The Industrial Revolution

As discussed in your text, the principle of political equality is...? A. The same thing as economic equality B. Not valued in American democracy C. The idea that each person carries equal weight in the conduct of public business D. All of the above

C. The idea that each person carries equal weight in the conduct of public business

The lecture material on democracy argues that Americans have managed to achieve democratic governance (while other societies have not) because..? A. We are genetically superior B. We are the only ones wha have read Plato C. We got lucky in how our historical development played out D. None of the above

C. We got lucky in how our historical development played out

As discussed in your text, the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was supported by the A. Abolitionist movement B. Civil rights movement C. Womens movement D. None of the above

C. Womens movement

Greenberg and Page note that the existence and direction of ideological bias in the media may be explained by the fact that A. Individual reporters tend to be more liberal than the average American B. Owners and top managers of news organizations tend to be more conservative and Republican C. A media outlet's ideological bias may be driven by the desire to retain its audience D. All of the above

D. All of the above

On the subject of immigration, Greenberg and Page note that...? A. Immigration has led to substantial ethnic and racial diversity in the US B. Immigration has caused political and social tensions at various times in our history C. There is a wide split between Republicans and Democrats on the issue of illegal immigration D. All of the above

D. All of the above

Your text points out that, in a democracy, the media plays the role of A. Watchdog over government B. Clarifying electoral choices C. Providing policy information D. All of the above

D. All of the above

As discussed in your text, popular sovereignty includes? A. The condition that elections are free and fair B. The condition that the people participate in the political process C. Majority rules D. All the above

D. All the above

Definitions of politics include the concept of? A. Power B. Distribution/allocation C. Community/society D. All the above

D. All the above

"The entity which holds a monopoly on the legitimate use of force" is the definition of? A. Authoritarian rule B. Communism C. Government D. None of the above

D. None of the above

As noted in Posted Reading 2 by Any Chua, Donald Trump...? A. Is America's first populist president since Andrew Jackson B. Appointed the wealthiest Cabinet in modern history C. Signed a tax law that overwhelmingly favors the most wealthy Americans D. All of the above

D. All of the above

As noted in class, fascism features...? A. Extreme nationalism B. Close ties between private corporations and the state C. Irrationality D. All of the above

D. All of the above

Brooks argues that the "sacred space"...? A. Is where individuals are formed B. Is populated by institutions like family, religion, and the local community C. Is highly valued by conservatives D. All of the above

D. All of the above

The classical liberal view of human nature is that humans are...? A. Rational, self-interested, and therefore capable of self-rule B. Impulsive and controlled by their passions C. Naturally driven by racial and cultural differences D. None of the above

A. Rational, self-interested, and therefore capable of self-rule

Posted Reading 2 notes that...? A. The American dream has always had both a material and an aspirational side B. The American dream has always been only about money C. Billionaire populism glorifies virtue D. All of the above

A. The American dream has always had both a material and an aspirational side

The advent of cable news and the 24-hour news cycle has resulted in A. A shift to opinion-based commentary in order to appeal to "niche" audiences B. A large volume of in-depth, analytical reporting C. Widespread riots D. None of the above

A. A shift to opinion-based commentary in order to appeal to "niche" audiences

Greenberg and Page define democracy as...? A. A system of government in which the people rule; rule by the majority B. Suppression of the rights and liberties of a minority by the majority C. A system of economic equality D. None of the above

A. A system of government in which the people rule; rule by the majority

Your textbook notes that leaks A. Are inside or secret information given to a journalist or media outlet by a government official B. Are federal crimes punishable by harsh prison sentences C. Are disappearing as sources of information for reporters D. All of the above

A. Are inside or secret information given to a journalist or media outlet by a government official

As discussed in class, public goods...? A. Are the reason we have government B. Are unconstitutional in the US C. Are generally provided by free markets D. All of the above

A. Are the reason we have government

An August 2014 pool found that "53% of people view the Affordable Care Act unfavorably." This statement is an example of which dimension of public opinion? A. Breadth B. Salence C. Intensity D. Stability

A. Breadth

As discussed in class, news media have greatly changed in the past few decades due to A. Deregulation B. Legal prohibitions on profit-making C. Harsher punishments for leaks D. None of the above

A. Deregulation

Teaching school children to say the Pledge of Allegiance is an example of...? A. Direct socialization B. Indirect socialization C. Child abuse D. None of the above

A. Direct socialization

Fallacies are...? A. Errors in reasoning B. Policy mistakes C. Arguments with which we disagree as individuals D. All of the above

A. Errors in reasoning

The statement "Either we cute spending or increase the deficit" is an example of a...? A. False dilemma B. Post hoc fallacy C. Hasty generalization D. None of the above

A. False dilemma

When we draw conclusions on the basis of anecdotal evidence or a small set of cases, this is a fallacy of..? A. Hasty generalization B. False dilemma C. Appeal to inappropriate authority D. None of the above

A. Hasty generalization

When a policy is placed on the ballot by petition, and then approved by the voters, this is known as a(n)..? A. Initiative B. Referendum C. Impeachment D. None of the above

A. Initiative

As discussed in class, opposition to economic elites such as large corporations? A. Is a feature of left-wing populism B. Is a feature of right-wing populism C. Has never been a part of American political culture D. None of the above

A. Is a feature of left-wing populism

As mentioned in class, a random sample A. Is necessary to get an accurate picture of public opinion B. Is not particularly necessary to accurately measure public opinion C. Would be well illustrated by pollen everyone in this course D. All of the above

A. Is necessary to get an accurate picture of public opinion

As discussed in class, power...? A. Is the ability to get someone to do what they would not do otherwise B. Is always exercised through violence or force C. Both A and B D. None of the above

A. Is the ability to get someone to do what they would not do otherwise

As noted in class, trust among those in a society..? A. Is very important for the sustainability of democracy B. Is at an all-time high in the US C. Both A and B D. None of the above

A. Is very important for the sustainability of democracy

Classical liberalism was first articulated by...? A. John Locke B. Edmund Burke C. John Adams C. Karl Marx

A. John Locke

Looking at the two-dimensional typology covered in class, with American ideology calls for more government interference in the economic sphere (values equality more than freedom), but less government involvement in the social/personal sphere (values freedom more than order)? A. Liberal B. Conservative C. Marxist D. Libertarian

A. Liberal

According to Posted Reading 2...? A. Many working-class voters in the American heartland continue to support President Trump B. Most of the working-class voters that support Donald Trump have turned against him C. Both A and B D. None of the above

A. Many working-class voters in the American heartland continue to support President Trump

In Posted Reading 3, David Brooks argues that the "conservative" position on liberty vs. order has been that...? A. Order comes first B. Liberty comes first C. Order and liberty are virtually the same thing D. None of the above

A. Order comes first

As discussed in your text, capitalist economies...? A. Are tremendously productive B. Are prone to inequality C. Are unstable D. All of the above

D. All of the above

According to your text, the younger citizens of today...? A. Are less likely to identify with a political party than older citizens B. Overwhelmingly support government-sponsored health insurance and same-sex marriage C. Are especially concerned about environmental issues D. All of the above

D. All of the above

As described in class, bounded uncertainty...? A. Is a necessary social condition for a sustainable democracy B. Includes the fact that the outcomes of free and fair elections are uncertain C. Includes accepted norms about how elections are done and the types of policies that may be passed D. All of the above

D. All of the above

As discussed in class, contingent consent..? A. Means that those who win an election are recognized by all (including the losers) as the legitimate political leaders B. Includes a commitment by the winners not to block the future opportunities of the losers C. Requires a certain level of trust within a society D. All of the above

D. All of the above