POS2041 Midterm MEGA Study Guide Chapters 6-9
Which agency regulates broadcast media in the United States?
Federal Communications Commission
Which agency regulates broadcast media?
Federal Communications Commission
During the 2000 South Carolina Republican primary, George W. Bush supporters telephoned conservative White voters to ask if they would be more or less likely to vote for John McCain if they knew he had fathered an illegitimate Black child. This was an example of a
push poll.
A person's political party preference is primarily acquired through the influence of the
person's family.
Liberalism and conservatism are examples of
political ideologies.
During the 2000 South Carolina Republican primary, George W. Bush supporters telephoned conservative white voters to ask if they would be more or less likely to vote for John McCain if they knew he had fathered an illegitimate black child. This was an example of a
push poll.
In Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court
prohibited states from making abortion a criminal act prior to the point at which the fetus becomes viable.
Political scientists call voters' choices that focus on future behavior ______ voting, while those based on past performances are called ______ voting.
prospective; retrospective
Digital subscription models in which people pay to access news content have
proven to be a profitable approach for many elite, national newspapers but not for smaller or mid-sized local newspapers.
The Sierra Club is a(n) ______ group.
public interest
"Policy feedback" occurs when
public opinion shifts in response to changes in government policy.
Policy feedback occurs when
public opinion shifts in response to changes in government policy.
By the time of the Iraq invasion in March 2003, the American public was
strongly supportive of the war, with 70 percent of Americans endorsing the Bush administration's policy.
Despite its widespread availability, ________ typically report(s) on the narrowest range of topics and provide(s) the least depth of news coverage.
television
Which media source is regulated by the federal government?
television
Which of the following news sources reaches the MOST Americans?
television
During the early nineteenth century, the main base of strength for the Jeffersonian Republican Party under Andrew Jackson was in
the South.
Most national campaigns in America are conducted through which kind of politics?
wholesale
What is the ultimate goal of a political party?
winning elections
Suppose you were hired to work on the campaign of a 2020 presidential candidate. Your job was to reach out to the group of people most likely to vote. Which group should you target first?
women
Participation in political campaigns and elections depends on many different variables, but two of the most important are age and education. What are some of the results of these differences when it comes to certain behaviors? This graph shows how people participate in various ways according to age and education. Which grouping shows the smallest differences in participation within its category?
worked or volunteered for a campaign by age OR attended a political rally or event by age
Which of the following is an example of a public broadcasting organization?
the National Public Radio (NPR)
According to political scientist Amber Boydstun, the media has a(n) ________ for breaking stories and a(n) ________ for covering them in greater depth.
"alarm mode"; "patrol mode"
A widely circulated story that the pope endorsed Donald Trump for president in 2016 was a good example of
"fake news."
The fact that Americans today are likely to follow the news by briefly reading multiple headlines online rather than by reading longer news articles is referred to as
"skimming and scanning."
Low-level officials who hope to publicize what they view as their bosses' or the government's improper activities are usually called
"whistle-blowers."
Approximately ________ is needed for a candidate to have a reasonable chance of winning a seat in the House of Representatives.
$1 million
In the Pentagon Papers case, the Supreme Court ruled that
the government could not block the release of the papers.
Participation in political campaigns and elections depends on many different variables, but two of the most important are age and education. What are some of the results of these differences when it comes to certain behaviors? This graph shows how people participate in various ways according to age and education. Which grouping shows the smallest differences in participation within its category?
. worked or volunteered for a campaign by age OR attended a political rally or event by age
________is the single-most important political act for most Americans.
.Contributing to political campaigns wrong b.Voting WRONG c.Writing a letter to the editor d.Peaceful protest
________is the single-most important political act for most Americans.
.Contributing to political campaigns wrong b.Voting wrong c.Writing a letter to the editor d.Peaceful protest
Which of the following sample sizes is sufficient to have a reasonably accurate poll?
1500
Women won the right to vote in
1920.
In ________ , Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech.
1963
Party identification has changed over time, with the number of Democrats, Republicans, and independents gaining or losing supporters at different periods. Study this chart on party identification and answer the questions that follow. During what period did the Democrats have the largest group of supporters?
1976-1982
Party identification has changed over time, with the number of Democrats, Republicans, and independents gaining or losing supporters at different periods. Study this chart on party identification and answer the questions that follow. During what period did the Democrats lose the most supporters?
1982-1988
The media landscape for news has seen remarkable shifts in a short period of time. Which media sources have gained wider audiences and which have lost some of their audience? In which year was newspaper readership the highest?
1995
Facebook has more than ________ users worldwide.
2.2 billion
The typical margin of error in a sample survey of 1,500 respondents is ________ percent.
2.5
The strength of traditional party machines depended most heavily on? A.) Patronage B.) Primaries C.) Hard Money D.) Soft Money E.) Dark Money
A
Party identification has changed over time, with the number of Democrats, Republicans, and independents gaining or losing supporters at different periods. Study this chart on party identification and answer the questions that follow. In which of the following periods were people most likely to identify as independents?
2012-2019
During early national periods of American history, suffrage was generally restricted to White males over the age of
21
________ states have enacted legislation requiring voters to show positive identification at the polls.
34
The number of radio stations in the United States has grown from ________ in 1990 to more than ________ today.
400; 2,000
Large media conglomerates, such as the Hearst, McClatchy, and Gannett corporations, own approximately ________ percent of daily newspapers.
75
Large media conglomerates, such as the Hearst, McClatchy, and Gannett corporations, own approximately ________ of daily newspapers.
75%
It is estimated that more than ________ percent of Americans have a television.
95
A political party is different from an interest groupie that a political party? A.) Seeks to control the government by nominating B.) Is constitutionally exempt from taxation C.) Is entirely non-profit D.) Has a much larger membership E.) Has a much smaller membership
A
Voters who prefer a third-party candidate but vote for the major-party candidate whom they regard as the "lesser of two evils" are engaging in? A.) Strategic Voting B.) Split-Ticket Voting C.) Straight-Ticket Voting D.) Ranked Choice Voting E.) Rational Abstention
A
When a voter decides which candidate to vote for based on imagined future performances, the voter is engaged in? A.) Prospective Voting B.) Retrospective Voting C.) Introspective Voting D.) Straight-Ticket Voting E.) Split-Ticket Voting
A
Which group won voting rights most recently? A.) 18-20 Year olds B.) Asian Americans C.) White property owners D.) Women E.) African Americans
A
Which of the following statements is true about the 2018 elections? A.) Youth turnout increased significantly B.) Democrats won control of the Senate C.) Overall turnout was down from the 2014 midterm elections D.) After 2018 most incoming female members of congress were Republicans E.) Republicans raised more money than Democrats in the 2018 election cycle
A
Which of the following states flipped from Democratic to Republican in the 2016 election? A.) Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania B.) California, New York, and Massachusetts C.) Texas, Alabama, and Kentucky D.) West Virginia, Missouri, and Kansas E.) Oregon, Washington, and Delaware
A
Which of the following statements about women's suffrage is most accurate?
A number of state and territorial governments adopted women's suffrage before the federal government granted women the vote through the Nineteenth Amendment.
Which of the following statements best characterizes media ownership in the United States?
A small number of giant, privately owned corporations control most of the country's television networks, movie studios, record companies, cable channels, book publishers, magazines, newspapers, and digital media sites.
Which of the following statements about socioeconomic status and political participation is accurate?
Americans of higher socioeconomic status participate more in politics, including voting. maybe??? a.Americans of both higher and lower socioeconomic status vote at roughly equal rates. OR d.Americans of higher socioeconomic status participate more in politics, including voting.
________ is the power the media has to shape what issues Americans think about, and ________ is the power the media has to influence how Americans think about those issues.
Agenda-setting; framing
The rights of disabled individuals to access public businesses is guaranteed by the
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
Which of the following groups was NOT part of the New Deal coalition?
Asian Americans
In 2018 the Republicans won Senate in which of the following states? A.) Arizona and Nevada B.) Indiana, Missouri, and North Dakota C.) Ohio and Pennsylvania D.) California and New York E.) New Mexico, Virginia, and West Virginia
B
In nearly every election since 1980, the average amount of money spent by House incumbents to secure re-election has? A.) Been about the same as the average amount of money spent by challengers B.) Been greater than the average amount of money spent but challengers C.) Been less than the average amount of money spent by challengers D.) Been $0 due to federal laws that provide campaign funds for incumbents E.) Been $1 million due to federal laws that provide campaign funds for incumbents
B
The main difference between 527 committee and a 501 (c)(4) committee is that? A.) a 527 is not legally required to disclose where it gets its money while a 501(c)(4) is legally required to do so B.) A 501(c)(4) is not legally required to disclose where it gets its money while a 527 is legally required to do so C.) A 527 can only contribute to one campaign where as a 501(c)(4) can contribute to many D.) a 501(c)(4) can only contribute to one campaign while a 527 can contribute to many E.) A 527 can legally coordinate its spending with a candidates's campaign while a 501(c)(4) cannot
B
The practice of tailoring campaign messages to individuals in small, homogeneous groups is referred to as? A.) Indexing B.) Micro-Targeting C.) Winnowing D.) External mobilization E.) Internal mobilization
B
Public opinion polls show wide partisan differences on the importance of key issues. Study the following figure that contrasts policy beliefs of those who identify with the Republican party or lean toward it with those who identify with the Democratic party or lean toward it. On which issue is there the largest difference in opinion between Republicans and Democrats?
Black Lives Matter or military
An incumbent is a candidate who? A.) Does not currently hold office B.) Has the support of both major parties C.) Already holds the office he or she is running for D.) Has won his or her party's primary election E.) Has been nominated at the party convention
C
An open primary is a primary election in which? A.) One's vote is made public B.) Only registered members of the party may vote C.) All registered voters, including independents, are able to choose which party primary they will participate in D.) Only two candidates are allowed to run E.) Voting is conducted by mail
C
How many states currently have an initiative process that lets citizens draft legislation, circulate petitions, and place measures on the ballot for a popular vote? A.) 0 B.) 12 C.) 24 D.) 36 E.) 50
C
If a state has 10 members in the U.S House of Representatives, how many votes in the electoral college does that state have? A.) 2 B.) 10 C.) 12 D.) 20 E.) The number of votes cannot be determined from this information
C
In 2016, Trump and the Republicans received a majority of votes from? A.) Whites and Asian Americans B.) Whites, Latinos, and Women C.) Whites and Men D.) African American and more affluent voters E.) Latinos and Young Voters
C
In Buckley v. Valeo, the Supreme Court ruled that? A.) PAC donations to campaigns are constitutionally protected B.) Candidates cannot spend any of their own money to run for office C.) The right of individuals to spend their own money to campaign is constitutionally protected D.) There is no limit to the number of candidates to whom an individual can contribute E.) The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act is unconstitutional
C
In the 2016 general election, voters who said they felt the country and the economy were headed in the wrong direction were most likely to vote for? A.) Hilary Clinton B.) Donald trump C.) JillStein D.) Gary Johnson E.) Jeb Bush
C
States that allow same-day registration? A.) Have lower overall voter turnout rates than states that do not allow for same-day registration B.) Have the same overall voter turnout rates as states that do not allow for same-day registration C.) Have higher rates of voter turnout among younger and less educated voters than states that do not allow for same-day registration D.) Have overall turnout rates that are very close to 100% E.) Have lower rates of voter turnout among younger and less educated voters than states that do not allow for same-day registration
C
The congressional election system in the United States is called "first to past the post" because? A.) Candidates must win both a primary election and a general election before taking office B.) Seats in the House of Representatives and Senate are allocated to political parties based on their share of the total vote cast in the election C.) The candidate with the most votes wins even is she did not win a majority of the popular vote D.) A candidate can win an election only if he wins a majority of the popular vote E.) More Americans now vote by mail than at their located polling places
C
Which of the following statements about Latinos is not accurate? A.) Latinos have tended to favor Democratic candidates in recent national elections B.) In some large states, such as California and Texas, Latinos are approaching 50% of the population C.) Latinos have tended to favor Republican candidates in recent national elections D.) Latinos make up approximately 17% of the population E.) Latino registration and turnout rates have been lower than those of whites and African Americans in recent elections.
C
The Supreme Court ruled that the Second Amendment provides a constitutional right to keep a loaded handgun at home for self-defense in
District of Columbia v. Heller
_____ occurs when one party controls the presidency while another party controls one or both houses of Congress.
Divided government
By identifying problems and proposing policies that will expand their party's base of support, party leaders can act as? A.) Whips B.) Convention Delegates C.) Patrons D.) Policy Entrepreneur E.) Party of Activists
D
One reason that there are fewer women than men in elected office is that? A.) There is a limit sent by the Constitution on the number of women who can serve in the House of Representatives B.) Fewer women are eligible to run for office under the rules created by state and local governments C.) Women are less likely to vote in elections than men D.) Women are less likely to run for office than men E.) Women are less likely to win elections than men
D
Public funding of a presidential campaigns was? A.) Outlawed by the Federal Election Campaign Act B.) Declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in McCutcheon et al. v. Federal Election Commission C.) Accepted by both major-party presidential candidates in 2016 D.) Rejected by all 4 Major-Party presidential candidates in 2012 and 2016 E.) Limited to only $25 million in 2008, 2012, 2016
D
The 'Digital Divide' means? A.) Some citizens watch television news and some do not B.) Newspaper rarely publish the same stories on their websites that they do in their print editions C.) Few politicians maintain websites once they are elected to office D.) Not all citizens have equal access to the internet E.) People who learn about politics through traditional media.
D
The Consumer Confidence Index? A.) Measures how business leaders rate the federal governments's regulation of the economy during election years B.) Was a federal government program designed to increase economic growth during the Reagan administration C.) Has been inaccurate predictor of presidential outcomes D.) Has been a fairly accurate predictor of presidential outcomes E.) Is based on government reports of objective economic indicators
D
The so-called New Deal coalition was severely strained? A.) During the 1860's by conflicts over slavery and southern succession B.) During the 1890's by conflicts over the gold standard C.) During the 1930's by conflicts over the Great Depression and America's involvement in World War II D.) During the 1960's by conflicts over the civil rights and the Vietnam War E.) During the 1990's by conflicts over the abortion and affirmative action
D
Voter registration requirements and processes are determined and controlled by? A.) Local governments B.) The federal government C.) The U.S. Constitution D.) The States E.) Independent organization
D
Which of the following factors is not currently an obstacle to voting in the United States? A.) Registration requirements B.) That elections occur on Tuesdays C.) The restriction of voting rights for people who have committed a felony D.) Literacy Tests E.) Voter Identification laws
D
Which of the following is not determined at a party's national convention? A.) The party's candidate for President B.) The party's candidate for Vice President C.) The party's campaign platform for the presidential race D.) The congressional committees party representatives will be assigned to E.) The rules and regulations governing party procedures
D
A(n) ________ occurs when a voter must be registered with a party prior to voting in that party's election.
closed primary
Which of the following techniques is considered most effective in mobilizing voters? A.) Direct mailings B.) "Robocalls" C.) Phone calls made by volunteers D.) Face-to-face contact E.) Television advertisements
D
Large cities have predominantly ________ populations, while ________ are more numerous in rural and suburban areas.
Democratic; Republicans
Which of the following statements about the political opinions of Democrats and Republicans in the public is the most accurate?
Differences between the political opinions of Democrats and Republicans are greater today than during any other period in the last 40 years.
Which of the following statements about contemporary public opinion is MOST accurate?
Digital citizenship offers the promise of a more informed electorate.
Which of the following is the best characterization of digital political participation?
Digital political participation includes activities like visiting a candidate's website or signing an online petition.
Which of the following is a good example of a media monopoly?
Disney
________ prevent(s) people from being tried twice for the same crime.
Double jeopardy
African Americans? A.) Almost never participate in politics B.) Consistently support the Republican Party in elections C.) Vote at much higher rates than whites D.) Have never voted as a cohesive block E.) Are more likely to participate when they feel a shared sense of collective identity
E
If a voter supports candidates from more than one party in the same election, she is said to be engaging in? A.) Retrospective Voting B.) Two-Way Voting C.) Prospective Voting D.) Straight-Ticket Voting E.) Split-Ticket Voting
E
Super PACs? A.) Were outlawed by the 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act B.) Are ineligible for tax-exempt status under Section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code C.) Are campaign fund-raising organizations legally affiliated with the Democratic National Committee D.) Are prohibited from running advertisements during election campaigns E.) Can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money as long as their activities are not coordinated with those of the formal party organizations or the candidates
E
The decline in partisan attachment in the electorate, the growth in the number of voters identifying as independent, and the rise in so-called split-ticket voting was referred to as? A.) Partisan Polarization B.) Independentification C.) Unalignment D.) Realignment E.) Dealignment
E
The periodic episodes in American history in which an "old" dominant political party is replaced by a "new" dominant political party are called? A.) Constitutional Revolutions B.) Divided Governments C.) Unified Governments D.) Dealignments E.) Electoral Realignments
E
To win under the plurality system used in most American elections a candidate must receive? A.) More than 50% of the popular vote B.) More than 50% in the runoff election C.) More than two-thirds of the popular vote D.) More than 75% of the popular vote E.) More votes than his or her opponents, regardless of the percentage
E
Which of the following features of the House of Representatives is determined by a vote of the whole membership rather than by decisions within each party? A.) The assignments of individual members to particular committees B.) Advancement up the committee ladder C.) The ability of individual members to transfer from one committee chairs D.) The use of the seniority system for determining committee chairs E.) Selection of the Speaker of the House
E
Which of the following is not a form of traditional political participation? A.) Volunteering for a campaign B.) Attending an abortion rights rally C.) Displaying a yard sign for a Republican congressional candidate D.) Voting in an election E.) Signing an online petition
E
Which of the following statements about young people's political attitudes is most accurate? A.) Younger people are less supportive of strong environmental laws than older people B.) Younger people are less concerned about economic inequality than older people C.) Younger people express less tolerance for personal freedoms than older people D.) Younger people are less concerned about National Security than older people E.) Younger people are more supportive of funding for public education and colleges than older people.
E
Which party was formed in the 1830's in opposition to Andrew Jackson's presidency? A.) American Independent B.) Federalist C.) Jefferson Republic D.) Democratic E.) Whig
E
________ is the most important core value of liberalism.
Equality
"Due process of law" is generally defined by the ________ amendments.
Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth
Which U.S. president promoted his policy agenda to the American people through "fireside chats"?
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Which of the following is true of the Civil Rights Act of 1964?
It ended some of the most blatant forms of discrimination across the country.
Which statement best characterizes Asian American voter turnout in the United States?
It is similar to Hispanic turnout.
________ generally support abortion rights and oppose state involvement with religious institutions.
Liberals
________ is the core political value MOST highly prioritized by American conservatives.
Liberty
______ is the practice of tailoring campaign messages to individuals in small, homogenous groups
Micro-targeting
The media landscape for news has seen remarkable shifts in a short period of time. Which media sources have gained wider audiences and which have lost some of their audience? Which statement about news sources is accurate?
More people used the radio for news in 2017 than in 2007.
________ states currently require all voters to show some form of ID before voting at the polls.
More than half of all
Party identification has changed over time, with the number of Democrats, Republicans, and independents gaining or losing supporters at different periods. Study this chart on party identification and answer the questions that follow. A majority of Americans have which political identification?
No identification has a majority of Americans.
The media's reporting of the Watergate affair led to
President Richard Nixon's resignation.
Primary elections were introduced by
Progressive reformers at the start of the 1900s
Which of the following best summarizes the Supreme Court's ruling in Brown v. Board of Education (1954)?
Racially segregated schools can never be equal
Which of the following statements best describes the media's role in the Watergate affair?
Relentless investigations by journalists revealed various abuses of power by President Nixon and led to his resignation.
From the end of the Civil War to the 1890s, the ________ Party was the party of the North, while the ________ Party was the party of the South.
Republican; Democratic
The greatest challenge for journalism organizations today is
generating enough revenue to finance traditional investigative journalism.
Public opinion polls show wide partisan differences on the importance of key issues. Study the following figure that contrasts policy beliefs of those who identify with the Republican party or lean toward it with those who identify with the Democratic party or lean toward it. Suppose you were running in a nonpartisan campaign and were trying to appeal to voters from both sides of the political divide. Which issues would you emphasize in your campaign?
Social Security, the economy, and health care costs
Which of the following statements best describes where younger and older Americans get their news?
Social media tend to be a secondary news source after television for most Americans but a primary news source for the young.
Individuals and organizations can give an unlimited amount of money to
Super PACs
The Communications Decency Act
made it illegal to make "indecent" sexual material on the internet accessible to those under age 18.
Which of the following best describes the relationship between the government and the media in the United States today?
The government does not own but regulates the content and ownership of broadcast media.
An iron triangle is made up of an alliance between
a legislative committee, an interest group, and an executive agency.
Which statement best describes the relationship between public opinion and government policy?
The relationship between government policy and public opinion is dynamic, wherein government policy responds to public opinion but public opinion also shifts based on new government policies.
Which statement about the distribution of fake news on Facebook in the 2016 election is most accurate?
The top 10 fake news stories circulated on Facebook were shared more widely than the top 10 authentic news stories about the election.
Which statement about the distribution of fake news on Facebook in the 2016 election is most accurate?
The top 10 fake stories circulated on Facebook were shared more widely than the top 10 authentic news stories about the election.
Which of the following statements best describes current controversies about immigration among conservatives?
There is a division of opinion among conservatives, with pro-business conservatives accepting immigration and social conservatives strongly opposing immigration to the United States.
What is one of the main differences between people who have gone to college and people who have not?
There is a higher level of political participation among those with a college education.
What did the Supreme Court rule in Bowers v. Hardwick (1986)?
There is no constitutional right to privacy for consensual homosexual activity
Which of the following is a good example of broadcast media outlet?
a local television station
Which of the following statements concerning third parties is true?
Third parties often have their programs adopted by one of the two major parties.
The New Deal coalition was severely strained and ultimately broken apart by the
Vietnam War and the issue of civil rights.
In recent years, ________ has released thousands of secret government documents, exposing government corruption, torture, and war crimes.
WikiLeaks
In the recent years, _______ has released thousands of secret government documents exposing government corruption, torture, and war crimes.
WikiLeaks
The MOST important selection bias in news is the
audience appeal of a story.
Which statement about party identification and gender in the United States is most accurate?
Women are significantly more likely than men to identify with the Democratic Party, whereas more men identify as Republicans.
Which statement about party identification and gender in the United States is MOST accurate?
Women are significantly more likely than men to identify with the Democratic Party, whereas more men identify as independents.
Which of the following statements about age and political participation is true?
Young people are far less likely to participate in politics than older people.
A political ideology is best defined as
a cohesive set of beliefs that form a general philosophy about government
A political ideology is best defined as
a cohesive set of beliefs that form a general philosophy about the government.
If a number of newspapers published stories exposing an elected official's acceptance of monetary bribes from a corporation in exchange for passing a particular law, it would be an example of the media serving in their roles as
a watchdog.
The Jeffersonian Republicans were best known for their support of
a weak national government, with the states retaining most powers.
The Vietnam War initiated the growth of ________ journalism.
adversarial
Reporting in which the media adopt a skeptical or even hostile posture toward the government and public officials is referred to as
adversarial journalism.
The frequent reporting on the federal investigation by Robert Mueller regarding whether anyone close to Trump participated in Russia's 2016 election interference is an example of the media's commitment to
adversarial journalism.
Privately owned media companies in the United States earn most of their revenue from
advertising.
If public concern and interest in data security issues increased after a number of television and newspaper stories about "hacking," it would be an example of the media's ________ power.
agenda-setting
If public concern and interest in data security issues increased after a number of television and newspaper stories about "hacking", it would be an example of the media's
agenda-setting power.
In the 2018 midterm elections, youth turnout
b.decreased significantly. c.increased significantly. maybe? d.remained as in 2016.
Lobbying is
an attempt by an individual or group to influence the passage of legislation by exerting direct pressure on members of Congress or a state legislature.
Which of the following stories would an American news outlet that relies primarily on advertising revenue be LEAST likely to cover?
an economics professor providing testimony to a congressional committee on the effect of tariffs
A grassroots mobilization campaign occurs when
an interest group asks its members and their families throughout the country to write their representatives in support of the group's position.
How many Americans have no religious affiliation?
approximately 25%
Superdelegates
are currently used in the Democratic Party presidential primary only.
Presidential candidates who accept federal funding for their general election campaigns
are subject to strict expenditure limits.
A push poll involves
asking loaded questions in order to subtly shape the respondent's opinion.
In order to win the presidency, a candidate must win
at least 270 electoral votes.
Support for an affirmative action policy that considers an applicant's race in university admissions is an example of a political _______, while a belief in equality of opportunity is an example of a political _______.
attitude; value
The term "public opinion" is used to describe
attitudes about political issues, leaders, institutions, and events.
If a person supports a candidate because he or she is the front-runner in a poll, it is an example of the
bandwagon effect.
The difference between a political value and a political attitude is that values are
basic principles, while attitudes are specific preferences.
In the lobbying world, to be "Microsofted" means that a company has
become vulnerable to adverse legislation and investigation as a result of failing to lobby the federal government.
The term public opinion is used to describe
beliefs and attitudes toward different issues, events, and people.
The fairness doctrine required that
broadcasters who aired controversial issues provide time for opposing viewpoints.
Miranda v. Arizona (1966) was important because it produced rules that must be used
by the police before questioning an arrested criminal suspect
According to the online processing model, members of the public may appear to be politically uninformed because
by the time they actually voice an opinion on an issue, they are likely to have forgotten much of the information that helped them arrive at their opinion.
"Retail politics" refers to
campaigns in which candidates meet citizens face-to-face to discuss politics.
Independent expenditures by Super PACs
can raise and spend an unlimited amount of money on political campaigns.
If a national survey finds candidate A leads candidate B by 5% in the upcoming election and the margin of error in the survey is 3%, it means that
candidate A leads candidate B by anywhere between 2 and 8 percentage points.
Under current federal campaign finance rules, as long as they do not coordinate with a candidate, a national political party committee
cannot spend any money advocating support for its own presidential candidate. OR may make unlimited "independent expenditures" supporting its own presidential candidate.
The transition many white southerners made from the Democratic to the Republican Party in the 1960s is a good example of the
changes in political conditions and circumstances in the South, rather than in opinions or values.
News produced by individuals and organizations who are not employed as professional journalists is called
citizen journalism.
A(n) ______ occurs when a voter must be registered with a party prior to voting in that party's election.
closed primary
A benefit that is sought by an interest group and that once achieved cannot be denied to nonmembers is called a
collective good.
National defense is a good example of a
collective good.
An individual who strongly supports military intervention and the maintenance of American military power is more closely associated with which political ideology?
conservatism
Individuals who attend church frequently are more likely to be ________ in their political views than people who are not religious.
conservative
Opposition to legalized abortion is a position MOST likely supported by ________, while support for legalized abortion is a position MOST likely supported by ________.
conservatives; liberals
Which of the following statements about socioeconomic status and political participation is accurate?
d. Americans of higher socioeconomic status participate more in politics, including voting. maybe? a.Americans of both higher and lower socioeconomic status vote at roughly equal rates. OR d.Americans of higher socioeconomic status participate more in politics, including voting.
Using the aggregate preferences and viewing habits of millions of Netflix subscribers to make predictions about how someone will feel about political issues is an example of
data mining.
Legally enforced segregation in public schools is a form of ________ discrimination
de jure
Declining levels of trust in government are important because declining trust has been linked to
declines in political participation and voting.
In recent years, response rates for random digit dial surveys have been
declining steadily and now average less than 10%.
In recent years, response rates for random digit dial surveys have been
declining steadily and now average less than 15 percent.
During the last decade, the number of newspaper journalists working in the United States has
decreased by 40 percent.
During the last decade, the number of newspaper journalists working in the United States has
decreased by 50%.
Bernie Sanders is best described as a ________, while Rand Paul is best described as a ________.
democratic socialist; libertarian
What did the framers identify as the greatest source of political conflict for the United States?
differences between the rich and poor
Individuals with home high-speed internet access and the skills to use it are called
digital citizens.
Individuals with home high-speed internet access and the technology and literacy skills to use it are called
digital citizens.
Activities designed to influence politics using the internet are best described as
digital political participation.
Political scientists sometimes describe social media as "the new dinner table" because
discussions of politics and current events on social media occur within a network of friends and family.
Interest groups are permitted to spend as much money as they want on issue advocacy during a campaign season, as long as they
do not coordinate their efforts with a candidate's own campaign organization.
In the United States today, the government
does not own but regulates the content and ownership of broadcast media.
The supreme Court's landmark decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) was significant because it
dramatically increased the flow of money from interest groups and Super PACs into politics and electoral campaigns.
Over the past several decades, the number and scale of interest groups at the national level has
dramatically increased.
What is the MOST important factor in the predicting whether an individual votes?
education level
What is the most important factor in predicting whether an individual votes?
education level
The ______ is the last example of indirect voting in national elections.
electoral college
Libertarianism is a political ideology that
emphasizes freedom and voluntary association with small government.
All of the following are important roles for the media in American democracy EXCEPT
enabling privately owned companies to advertise their products to the public.
The ________ provides candidates for the same political office equal opportunities to communicate their messages.
equal time rule
If a television station sold commercial time to a Republican candidate for governor but refused to sell time to the Democratic candidate for governor, this station would be in violation of the
equal time rule.
The ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
established the "separate but equal" rule.
Social media usage tends to
exaggerate partisan polarization among the mass public because people pick their own friend networks and can avoid disagreeable ideas.
The traditional news media aim to provide objective reporting on current events by
excluding the personal views of reporters or editors from their coverage.
The average American
exhibits little knowledge of political institutions, processes, leaders, or policy debates.
"Affective intelligence" refers to the
fact that individuals will often quickly form opinions in response to current events by using their emotions as a guide.
In 1985, the federal government stopped enforcing the ________, arguing that it was no longer necessary due to the increasing number of television and radio stations.
fairness doctrine
The percentage of Americans who indicate they trust the government "just about always or most of the time" has
fallen from over 70 percent in 1960 to just 15 percent in 2017.
The "fake news" is most accurately characterized as
false news stories circulated to generate ad revenue or to benefit one political candidate or party over another.
The term fake news is MOST accurately characterized as
false news stories circulated to generate ad revenue or to benefit one political candidate or party over another.
The winner of the electoral college vote has NOT won the popular vote ______ time(s) ion the American history.
four
A person who enjoys the benefits of a group's collective efforts but does not contribute to those efforts is called a
free rider
A person who enjoys the benefits of a group's collective efforts but does not contribute to those efforts is called a
free rider.
In order to overcome the ______, interest groups often provide _______ to their members.
free-rider problem; selective benefits
Suppose more and more states wish to increase their political influence by holding their nominating processes earlier and earlier. This causes the process for nominating the president to become
front-loaded.
The fact that liberals choose to live in neighborhoods, cities, counties, and states that are more liberal while conservatives move to areas with populations with more conservative views is called
geographic sorting.
Alexis de Tocqueville argued that the proliferation of interest groups promoted
governmental responsiveness.
In recent years, the religious right has had a great effect on American politics through
grassroots mobilization.
The dramatic rise in political information and the increasing diversity of the media have
had very little impact on the average levels of political knowledge in the American public.
Advertising revenue at print newspapers is currently ________ what it was in 2005.
half
During the 2016 campaign, Hillary Clinton received ________amount of media coverage as Donald Trump.
half the
During the 2016 campaign, Hillary Clinton received
half the amount of media coverage as Donald Trump.
A consequence of the limited public broadcasting available in the United States relative to other Western democracies is the American public
has less political knowledge than people in other Western democracies.
More Americans
have consistently identified as conservatives than as liberals since the 1990s.
Besides their ideological biases, journalists also exhibit selection biases in favor of news stories they view as
having a great deal of dramatic or entertainment value.
Journalists exhibit selection biases in favor of news stories they view as
having a great deal of dramatic or entertainment value.
Support for freedom of speech, a free internet, and the press is
higher in the United States than in most other countries in the world.
The Christian Coalition is a(n) ______ group.
ideological
California shifted from a Republican stronghold in the 1970s to a solidly Democratic state today primarily due to
immigration and demographic change.
The fact that many middle-class and lower-middle-class citizens who did not stand to benefit from President George W. Bush's tax cuts seemed to favor them is an example of the
importance of political knowledge.
A membership association is a group
in which members play an important role in the daily activities and administration.
"Selective benefits" are
incentives that interest groups make available only to those people who are members of their organizations.
According to political scientist Jonathan Ladd, trust in the mainstream media has declined over the last 50 years as a result of
increased competition in party politics and journalism.
According to John Zaller's model of opinion formation, the "sample" stage occurs when a(n)
individual selects the most relevant or most recently acquired and accepted information from his or her "bucket" of information in response to a survey question.
What is the MOST important and beneficial resource that lobbyists provide government officials?
information
The ability to find and effectively evaluate information online is referred to as
information literacy.
The best description of the ideal of pluralism is that
interest groups should be free to compete for government influence.
The media landscape for news has seen remarkable shifts in a short period of time. Which media sources have gained wider audiences and which have lost some of their audience? Which platform do U.S adults cite as their most frequent source of news?
internet
The increased number and importance of interest groups
is a response to an increase in the size and activity of government.
Lobbying is often easier on which kinds of issues?
issues that the public does not care about
The fact that a decreasing number of companies owns an increasingly large share of the American media is a concern primarily because
it increases the risk of that politicians and citizens who express less popular or minority viewpoints will have difficulty finding a public forum.
The fact that a decreasing number of companies owns an increasingly large share of the American media is a concern primarily because
it increases the risk that politicians and citizens who express less popular or minority viewpoints will have difficulty finding a public forum.
Public opinion polls show wide partisan differences on the importance of key issues. Study the following figure that contrasts policy beliefs of those who identify with the Republican party or lean toward it with those who identify with the Democratic party or lean toward it. On which of the following issues are Republicans and Democrats in closest agreement?
jobs
In Lawrence v. Texas (2003), the Supreme Court ruled that
laws criminalizing sexual behavior are a violation of the right to privacy.
If a national survey finds candidate A leads candidate B by 5 percent in the upcoming election and the margin of error in the survey is 3 percent, it means candidate A
leads candidate B by anywhere between 2 and 8 percentage points.
Edward Snowden is most known for
leaking the material that revealed widespread global surveillance programs by the U.S. government and major telecommunication companies.
The vast majority of Americans describe themselves as
liberals, conservatives, and moderates
A vast majority of Americans describe themselves as
liberals, conservatives, or moderates.
The vast majority of Americans describe themselves as
liberals, conservatives, or moderates.
In classical political theory, a liberal was closest to what we would today refer to as a
libertarian.
Which of the following sets of terms best describes America's fundamental political values?
liberty, equality of opportunity, and democracy
The fact that Americans strongly support minimal governmental interference with individuals' lives and property illustrates their commitment to
liberty.
The tendency for black Americans to perceive other blacks as members of a group with a common identity and a shared political interest is called
linked fate.
An advertisement emailed only to evangelical Christian voters about a Democratic candidate's support for abortion would be an example of
micro-targeting.
Party activists are ________ likely to contribute time to party affairs and ________ likely to hold more extreme views than the party's rank-and-file voters.
more; more
Voter turnout in state and local elections is generally
much lower than turnout in national elections.
What is niche journalism?
news reporting targeted for a demographic of readers based on content or ideological presentation.
A ________ is the best example of an informational benefit provided by many interest groups.
newsletter
Which group is LEAST likely to have high-speed internet access at home?
non-English-speaking Hispanics
Which of the following groups is most likely to affiliate with the Republican Party?
older White voters
Between 1812 and 1830, the United States had
one political party: the Jeffersonian Republicans.
The ________ model states that individuals keep a running tally of information and use that tally to form their opinions.
online processing
Which of the following is not a problem that pollsters encounter?
only getting a 75 percent response rate
A(n) ______ occurs when a voter can wait until the day of the primary to choose which party to enroll in to select candidates for the general election.
open primary
The term "stakeholder" refers to
organizations affected by a government policy.
The Lincoln-Douglas debates took place
outside, in the cornfields and town squares of Illinois.
Which of the following requires an FCC license in order to legally broadcast in the United States?
over-the-air television stations
Which of the following are the three most major factors that influence a voter's choice?
partisan loyalty, issues, and the characteristics of candidates
Which three types of factors influence the decisions of voters at the polls?
partisan loyalty, issues, and the characteristics of candidates
Jane is a volunteer for Trump's 2020 campaign, knocking on doors and persuading voters to vote for Trump and other Republican candidates in the election. Her efforts best characterize her as a
party activist.
The process by which political values are formed is known as
political socialization.
An election held to select the party's candidate for the general election is called a
primary election.
Which of the following is the best definition of the media?
print and digital forms of communication that include everything from websites, newspapers, television, and radio
The Supreme Court case New York Times v. United States (1971) was related to which First Amendment concept?
prior restraint
Priming refers to the
process of preparing the public to bring specific criteria to mind when evaluating a politician or issue.
Digital subscription models in which people pay to access news content have proven to be a
profitable approach for many elite, national newspapers but not for smaller or midsized local newspapers.
George W. Bush called himself a "compassionate conservative" in order to show that he favored
programs that assist the poor and needy.
The three steps of John Zaller's model of opinion formation are
receive, accept, and sample.
Public broadcasting refers to any television, radio, and digital media that
receives funding from the public through license fees, subsidies, or tax dollars.
During the 1980s, the Republicans added ________ to their coalition.
religious conservatives and working-class Whites
If a radio station aired a personal attack against a candidate but refused to allow the same candidate the opportunity to respond to that attack on its station, the station would be in violation of the
right of rebuttal.
The percentage of Americans without any religious affiliation has
risen from 5 percent of the population in the 1990s to more than 25 percent today.
The Supreme Court ruled in Lau v. Nichols (1974) that
school districts have to provide education for students whose English is limited.
"Filter bubbles" appear when
search engines automatically screen out information that might challenge or broaden a person's worldview.
The fact that public support for government policies declines dramatically when calling the policies "welfare" rather than "assistance for the poor" illustrates that
seemingly minor differences in the wording of a question can convey vastly different meanings to survey respondents.
In order for a public opinion poll to accurately generalize to the entire population, the survey must
select respondents randomly and everyone in the target population must have an equal chance of being selected.
In order for a survey to accurately generalize the entire population, the survey must
select respondents randomly, and everyone in the target population must have an equal chance of being selected.
In order for a survey accurately generalize to the entire population, the survey must
select responses randomly and everyone in the target population must have an equal chance of being selected.
In 1936, pollsters at the Literary Digest were guilty of ________ when they mistakenly predicted a presidential victory for Alf Landon over Franklin Roosevelt by polling people whose names came from the telephone book and automobile registration records.
selection bias
A(n) ________ is a method used by pollsters to select a representative sample in which every individual in the population has an equal probability of being selected as a respondent.
simple random sample
Third parties in the United States typically represent
social and economic interests that are disregarded by the two major parties.
The fact that survey respondents overreport voting in elections and the frequency of their church attendance is an example of the ________ effect.
social desirability
What are agents of socialization?
social institutions, like family and school, that shape an individual's basic political beliefs and values
One explanation for why Trump performed better at the ballot box than in the public opinion polls is that
some people may have been reluctant to tell an interviewer that they supported Trump given that he was so controversial.
In the American federal system, the responsibility for running elections rests largely with
state and local governments.
Under the Constitution, ________ the power to control over voter registration.
state legislatures have
Public opinion polls show wide partisan differences on the importance of key issues. Study the following figure that contrasts policy beliefs of those who identify with the Republican party or lean toward it with those who identify with the Democratic party or lean toward it. Suppose you were running for office as a Republican and you wanted to focus on the issues that matter most to Republicans. Which issues would you emphasize in your campaign?
terrorism, immigration, and the economy
Which of the following is an example of the "gender gap"?
that men are more supportive of Donald Trump's presidency than women
A political party is an organization
that tries to influence the government by getting its members elected to office.
The fact that only 63 percent of high school graduates have broadband internet access at home while almost 90 percent of college graduates do is an example of
the "digital divide".
IN the United States, freedom of the press is protected by
the First Amendment of the Constitution
In the United States, freedom of the press is protected by
the First Amendment of the Constitution.
In Snyder v. Phelps (2011), the Supreme Court ruled that
the First Amendment protects free speech in a public place against emotional distress lawsuits.
The practice of lobbying is protected by
the First Amendment.
In 2002, Congress passed which of the following laws related to the invasion of Iraq?
the Joint Resolution to Authorize the Use of United States Armed Forces Against Iraq
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas was a supreme court case pursued as part of _____ strategy of litigation.
the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
The Federalist Party disappeared, in part, as a result of
the War of 1812.
Which of the following is NOT a reason that many Americans appear to prefer online news?
the accuracy and objectivity compared to traditional media outlets
During the 2020 Democratic presidential primary elections, candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden received favorable national coverage showing his lead in the South Carolina polls. Despite losses in the previous four states, Biden went on to become the party's presumptive nominee in weeks. The increased public support for Biden is partly explained by
the bandwagon effect.
The free-rider problem occurs because
the benefits of a group's actions are broadly available and cannot be denied to nonmembers.
The concept of a marketplace of ideas refers to
the competition between varying opinions and ideas that are aired in public forums.
What is a media monopoly?
the concentration of media ownership by a few large corporations
Who is an incumbent?
the current officeholder running for re-election
Who is an incumbent?
the current officeholder, running for reelection
The gap in access to the internet due to differences in education, income, age, geographic location, and race/ethnicity is known as
the digital divide.
What is the "social desirability effect"?
the fact that respondents report what they think the interviewer wishes to hear or whatever they think is socially acceptable rather than what they actually believe
What is the social desirability effect?
the fact that respondents report what they think the interviewer wishes to hear or whatever they think is socially acceptable, rather than what they actually believe
A distinctive pattern of voting behavior reflecting the differences in views between women and men is known as
the gender gap.
In Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) the Supreme Court ruled that
the government could not restrict independent expenditures by corporations or unions on behalf of candidates or issues.
The legalization of same-sex marriage in 2015 illustrates
the impact that an interest group can have through a litigation strategy.
When we say the media have the power of framing, we mean that
the media shape can affect how people view a topic or form opinions on a topic.
When we say the media have the power of agenda setting or filtering, we mean that
the media shape which topics the government must deal with.
The practice of training reporters to produce a standardized, seemingly neutral news product was the result of
the newspaper industry's realization that the best way to make a profit was to not alienate potential readers who held liberal or conservative political views.
What is turnout?
the percentage of eligible individuals who actually vote
A person's political party preferences are primarily acquired through the influence of
the person's family.
The practice of push polling involves
the procedure of asking loaded questions in order to subtly shape the respondent's opinion.
The trend in concentration of traditional media ownership occurred in large part due to
the relaxation of government regulations in the 1980s and 1990s.
Imagine that national surveys showed that over a period of 30 years racist attitudes towards African Americans in the United States drastically declined, yet studies showed ample evidence of persistent racism in the states. The disparity between the public opinion polls and the real word is best explained by which of the following?
the social desirability bias
Pollsters use random digit dialing to gather national samples for public-opinion polls because
there is not a complete list of all Americans that can be used to identify the population.
Pollsters use random digit dialing to gather national samples for surveys because
there is not a complete list of all Americans that can be used to identify the population.
Political leaders may prefer communicating through social media because
they can directly transmit unedited messages to their followers without having the content altered by the mainstream press.
Public interest groups differ from other types of interest groups in that
they claim to serve the common good, not just their own particular interests.
The media are sometimes referred to as the "fourth branch of government" because
they provide a check on the power of government and political leaders.
More affluent and educated citizens wield an outsized influence over policy makers because
they vote at higher rates, and they are more likely to contribute money to political campaigns.
What is the primary function of a PAC?
to raise and distribute money to election campaigns
Political information is increasingly emanating from universities, think tanks, nonprofit organizations, and private foundations because
traditional news organizations have cut their budgets and investigative journalism efforts in recent years.
If a number of newspapers published stories exposing an elected official's acceptance of monetary bribes from a corporation in exchange for passing a particular law, it would be an example of the media serving in their role as a
watchdog.
If a number of newspapers published stories exposing an elected official's acceptance of monetary bribes from a corporation in exchange for passing a particular law, it would be an example of the media serving their role as a Group of answer choices
watchdog.
The Populist Party appealed to which of the following groups?
western mining interests, small farmers, and urban workers