Chapter 10

The unintended influence of the questioner or pollster may lead to __________.

interviewr bias

Which type of survey question is best suited to addressing concerns about public opinion polls that contain a limited number of response options? a. yes-or-no questions b. approve-or-disapprove questions c. "feeling thermometer" questions d. tracking questions

c. "feeling thermometer" questions

A majority of first-year college students are liberal or far left.

FALSE

A population is a subset of the entire group of people whose attitudes a researcher wishes to measure.

FALSE

Demographic characteristics that influence public opinion include family, school, peers, the mass media, and political leaders.

FALSE

George Gallup incorrectly predicted the results of the 1936 election between Franklin D. Roosevelt and Alf Landon.

FALSE

Internet surveys that allow anyone to participate are accurate means of predicting election outcomes.

FALSE

Polling organizations that seek quick answers to survey questions should employ "feeling thermometer" questions

FALSE

The __________, a popular magazine that first began national presidential polling in 1916, was a pioneer in the use of the straw poll.

Literary Digest

Many American ideals, including hard work and personal responsibility, are rooted in our nation's __________ heritage.

Protestant

A sample is a subset of the entire population selected to be questioned for the purposes of prediction or gauging opinion.

TRUE

Cable and Internet news sources are often skewed. This can affect these citizens' opinions about politics.

TRUE

College has a liberalizing effect on students.

TRUE

How a question is worded on a public opinion poll can intentionally or unintentionally skew results.

TRUE

Political knowledge and political participation have a reciprocal effect on one another.

TRUE

Public opinion polls confirm that women have more liberal attitudes than men about social issues.

TRUE

Simple random samples are not very useful for predicting voting outcomes because they may undersample or oversample key populations not likely to vote.

TRUE

Since the 1930s, governmental decision makers have relied heavily on public opinion polls

TRUE

Telephone polls are the most frequently used mechanism by which to gauge the mood of the electorate.

TRUE

The Federalist Papers note that "all government rests on public opinion."

TRUE

The most common form of the telephone poll is the random-digit dialing survey

TRUE

Typically, the margin of error in a sample of 1,000 will be about 10 percent.

TRUE

Who is considered the founder of modern-day polling? a. George Gallup b. Alfred M. Landon c. Walter Lippmann d. John Zogby

a. George Gallup

During his campaign for reelection in 2012, Barack Obama deemphasized his work on health care reform. Which of the following reasons is the most plausible explanation for this decision, given what you know about the interaction between public opinion and policy and politics? a. His campaign did not want to focus on an issue that had deep divisions in public opinion. b. His campaign wanted to focus on the improvements in unemployment instead. c. The public is generally much less concerned about domestic issues than they are about foreign policy issues. d. Very few Americans held opinions about health care reform because it did not directly affect them.

a. His campaign did not want to focus on an issue that had deep divisions in public opinion.

Which of the following is a disadvantage of surveying the public using traditional telephone polls? a. Many people do not have landlines. b. Pollsters are no longer exempt from federal do-not-call lists. c. Pollsters are no longer exempt from state do-not-call lists. d. Polling is a form of constitutionally protected speech.

a. Many people do not have landlines.

Which of the following statements best describes the interaction between public opinion and public policy in the United States? a. Public opinion can affect policy. b. Public opinion can only affect short-term policy. c. Public opinion only affects policy during national crises. d. Public opinion has no discernible effect on policy.

a. Public opinion can affect policy.

What is the difference between random sampling and stratified sampling? a. Stratified sampling combines random selection with predetermined weighting of a population's demographic characteristics. b. Stratified sampling gives each member of a targeted population the same probability of being polled, whereas simple random sampling does not. c. Random sampling incorporates random selection into the polling procedure, whereas stratified sampling allows for self-selection. d. Stratified sampling relies on techniques to minimize bias, whereas simple random sampling does not.

a. Stratified sampling combines random selection with predetermined weighting of a population's demographic characteristics.

Which of the following statements about the 1936 Literary Digest poll that predicted Roosevelt's reelection defeat is true? a. The poll oversampled the upper middle class and the wealthy. b. The poll oversampled groups heavily Democratic in orientation. c. The poll excluded owners of automobiles and telephones. d. The poll undersampled middle-class voters who owned telephones.

a. The poll oversampled the upper middle class and the wealthy.

Which of the following surveys is more likely than the others to generate self-selection error? a. a mail-in survey of retirement community members about the privatization of Medicare b. a phone survey of randomly selected voters about the job performance of local council members c. a yes-or-no phone survey that asks, "Will you vote in the upcoming presidential election?" d. a door-to-door survey about home energy use

a. a mail-in survey of retirement community members about the privatization of Medicare

As a pollster for Smart Polling, you are concerned about gauging the public's attitudes about arms-control policy. You believe that the public not only has little information on this complex topic, but also has thought little about it. What procedure might you implement to increase the accuracy of your polling data? a. a screening procedure b. a grading procedure c. a tracking procedure d. a deliberative procedure

a. a screening procedure

A polling firm has been commissioned by the New York Times to assess public opinion about the performance of FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) during the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. What should the firm do first? a. determine the population b. determine the method of poll selection c. contact respondents d. select the sample

a. determine the population

At what age do parents exercise the greatest influence on the political socialization of their children? a. from birth to age five b. from birth to age ten c. from age ten to age fourteen d. at age fourteen and older

a. from birth to age five

The __________ is a measure of the accuracy of a public opinion poll. a. margin of error b. modal response c. sample size d. standard deviation

a. margin of error

Why have American National Election Studies (ANES) researchers conducted surveys before and after every mid-term and presidential election since 1952? a. to compile long-term studies of the electorate b. to increase voter participation c. to safeguard elections from manipulation by political consultants d. to clarify options for undecided voters

a. to compile long-term studies of the electorate

George Gallup undoubtedly had a vested interest in fostering reliance on public opinion polls. Why? a. He was a politician. b. He was a pollster. c. He was a political consultant. d. He was an officeholder.

b. He was a pollster.

Which of the following accurately describes a difference in public opinion between men and women? a. Men are more likely to think that labor unions are necessary to protect the rights of workers. b. Men are more likely to favor military intervention. c. Women are more likely to believe that school boards have a right to fire teachers who are homosexual. d. Women are more likely to believe that we should tighten restrictions on people coming to the United States.

b. Men are more likely to favor military intervention.

Which of the following is a shortcoming of public opinion polls? a. Polls measure only elite opinion. b. Polls are unable to measure the intensity of feelings about issues. c. Polls have no scientific credibility. d. Polls are undemocratic.

b. Polls are unable to measure the intensity of feelings about issues.

Which of the following is the clearest example of a question that might be found on a push poll? a. Are you familiar with Rosemary Austin's voting record on tax subsidies for energy producers? b. Would you approve or disapprove of the job that Rosemary Austin is doing if you knew that she never even reads the legislation before voting to spend your tax dollars? c. Do you plan to vote for Rosemary Austin for the House of Representatives this November? d. Do you approve or disapprove of the job that Rosemary Austin is doing?

b. Would you approve or disapprove of the job that Rosemary Austin is doing if you knew that she never even reads the legislation before voting to spend your tax dollars?

A decrease in political knowledge will likely cause __________. a. a decrease in taxes b. a decrease in political participation c. an increase in the likelihood that someone will participate in a political campaign d. an increase in the likelihood that someone will vote

b. a decrease in political participation

In the context of public opinion polls, what is self-selection? a. a reference to the timing of public opinion polls that may skew survey results b. a reference to the ability of respondents to decide whether to participate in surveys c. a reference to long-term studies of the electorate invalidated by short-term biases d. a reference to short-term studies of the electorate invalidated by long-term biases

b. a reference to the ability of respondents to decide whether to participate in surveys

Of the following, which is a demographic characteristic that often affects a citizen's political opinions? a. employability b. gender c. candidates' policy positions d. partisanship

b. gender

George Gallup believed that __________. This belief continues to be common today. a. the public should be surveyed only when the relative importance of an issue is high b. leaders should have an appraisal of public opinion and consider it in reaching their decisions c. straw polls should be used to gauge public opinion d. pollsters should expect a high degree of consistency in citizens' day-to-day political views

b. leaders should have an appraisal of public opinion and consider it in reaching their decisions

What do Americans often have difficulty forming opinions about? a. policies that involve issues of morality b. policies that do not affect them personally c. policies related to their occupation d. policies related to their property taxes

b. policies that do not affect them personally

Which amendment removed the election of U.S. senators from the hands of state legislators and placed it in the hands of citizens? a. the Sixteenth Amendment b. the Seventeenth Amendment c. the Eighteenth Amendment d. the Twentieth Amendment

b. the Seventeenth Amendment

According to Andrew Kohut, founding director of the Pew Research Center, why has the public played a more important role in national and international politics over the last three decades? a. the sophistication of modern polling techniques b. the rise in the number of public opinion polls c. the advent of the Internet d. the speed with which computers can process election data

b. the rise in the number of public opinion polls

When have Gallup's predictions been the least accurate? a. when there has been a female candidate b. when there is a prominent third-party candidate c. during economic crises d. when the incumbent is seeking reelection

b. when there is a prominent third-party candidate

In a random sample of 1,000 high school students, 29 percent indicated that they had read the Declaration of Independence at least once, with a margin of error of 4 percent. Which of the following statements is true? a. It is likely that more than 33 percent of the population have read the Declaration of Independence. b. It is likely that fewer than 25 percent of the population have read the Declaration of Independence. c. It is likely that between 25 and 33 percent of the population have read the Declaration of Independence. d. It is likely that 29 percent of the population has read the Declaration of Independence between zero and five times.

c. It is likely that between 25 and 33 percent of the population have read the Declaration of Independence.

Why is Walter Lippmann credited with spurring the growth of public opinion polling? a. Lippmann tried to predict the winner of the presidential contest between Andrew Jackson and John Quincy Adams. b. Lippmann was a pioneer in the use of the straw poll. c. Lippmann wrote a book in which he observed that research on public opinion was far too limited, especially in light of its importance d. Lippmann discovered three fatal errors in the Literary Digest poll that wrongly predicted that Republican Alfred M. Landon would beat incumbent President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

c. Lippmann wrote a book in which he observed that research on public opinion was far too limited, especially in light of its importance

Which of the following statements best reflects the Framers' attitudes about public opinion? a. Public opinion is the best measure of the soundness of government policy. b. Public opinion is potentially divisive and should, therefore, be encouraged. c. Public opinion might have a negative effect on politics. d. Public opinion should be monitored closely in election years.

c. Public opinion might have a negative effect on politics.

Researchers refer to the unintended influence of the questioner on respondents during in-person interviews as __________. a. question bias b. the margin of error c. interviewer bias d. self-selection

c. interviewer bias

Tracking polls help candidates __________. a. encourage voter turnout b. win support among undecided voters c. measure the impact of their campaign d. find campaign volunteers

c. measure the impact of their campaign

What opinion of a Democratic president would you expect an eleven-year-old child raised in a politically active Republican household to have? a. indifference toward the president b. approval of the president c. skepticism of the president d. trust of the president

c. skepticism of the president

Of the following topics, which is more likely than the others to be subject to a screening procedure in a public opinion poll? a. crime prevention b. illegal drug use c. the federal budget d. health care

c. the federal budget

What is the purpose of a "name recognition survey"? a. to discover how a better-known candidate contemplating a run for office might fare against an incumbent b. to discover how a local officeholder has affected the electoral climate c. to discover how many people have heard of a potential candidate d. to gauge how negatively the public views a potential third-party candidate

c. to discover how many people have heard of a potential candidate

Americans are likely to have the most difficulty forming opinions on which of the following topics? a. topics involving jobs and unemployment b. topics involving tax deductions for home mortgages c. topics involving the European Central Bank and creditor nations d. topics involving single-payer health care mandates

c. topics involving the European Central Bank and creditor nations

"Feeling thermometer" questions ask respondents how they feel about a particular issue by __________. a. signaling their approval or disapproval b. answering with a simple yes or no c. using a 0-to-100 scale d. computing degree-of-affinity statistics

c. using a 0-to-100 scale

Since 1952, researchers have conducted and analyzed the __________ to assess the political attitudes and behavior of the American electorate. a. American Electorate Studies b. General Social Studies c. Harris Interactive Studies d. American National Election Studies

d. American National Election Studies

What is the relationship between partisanship and views on whether the government should guarantee every citizen enough to eat and a place to sleep? a. There is little partisan variation in the belief that the government should guarantee that every citizen has enough to eat and a place to sleep. b. Within each group, fewer than half of all Democrats, Republicans, and independents believe that the government should guarantee that every citizen has enough to eat and a place to sleep. c. More Republicans than independents believe that the government should guarantee that every citizen has enough to eat and a place to sleep. d. More than three-fourths of Democrats believe that the government should guarantee that every citizen has enough to eat and a place to sleep.

d. More than three-fourths of Democrats believe that the government should guarantee that every citizen has enough to eat and a place to sleep.

The value of hard work and personal responsibility are rooted in America's __________. a. emphasis on economic and social equality b. communitarian instincts c. two-party system d. Protestant heritage

d. Protestant heritage

In 1948, the Chicago Daily Tribune wrongly predicted that Republican Thomas E. Dewey would beat incumbent President Harry S. Truman. Knowing what you know about the accuracy of various polls, what kind of poll would most likely have led the Tribune to make this erroneous prediction? a. an exit poll b. a push poll c. a random-digit dialing poll d. a straw poll

d. a straw poll

When is a child's peer group most politically influential? a. before preschool b. during preschool c. during elementary school d. during middle and high school

d. during middle and high school

How are exit polls conducted? a. over the telephone b. on the Internet c. through the mail d. in person

d. in person

To determine if families with children would use school vouchers to send their children to charter schools, from which of the following populations should you select a sample? a. women with children b. citizens in the school district c. parents To determine if families with children would use school vouchers to send their children to charter schools, from which of the following populations should you select a sample? a. women with children b. citizens in the school district c. parents d. parents of children under age 18

d. parents of children under age 18

What are push polls designed to do? a. provide unbiased information that helps voters make an informed judgment b. encourage young citizens to register to vote c. push people into voting for the frontrunner d. present negative information that might cause voters to vote against a candidate

d. present negative information that might cause voters to vote against a candidate

Web polls that allow anyone to weigh in on a topic are a type of __________ poll. a. exit b. deliberative c. tracking d. straw

d. straw

Unscientific surveys used to gauge public opinion on a variety of issues are known as what? a. deliberative polls b. exit polls c. push polls d. straw polls

d. straw polls

What is political socialization? a. the process through which individuals self-select themselves to participate in public opinion polls b. the process through which individuals acquire status as opinion leaders c. the process through which individuals seek out the beliefs and values of those in office d. the process through which individuals acquire their political beliefs and values

d. the process through which individuals acquire their political beliefs and values

__________ are conducted as voters leave the polling place and are used by the media to predict the outcome of the election.

exit polls

On the campaign trail in 2012, President Barack Obama deemphasized his work on __________, in part due to the deep divisions in public opinion on the issue

health care reform

Suppose a scientific poll determines that 60 percent of respondents support relaxation of gun-control laws. If the _________ were 4 percent, the actual percentage of people in the population who support relaxation would likely be between 56 and 64 percent.

margin of error

The process through which individuals acquire their beliefs about politics is known as __________.

political socialization

__________ is defined as what the public thinks about a particular issue or set of issues at any point in time.

public opinion

"If you knew that Candidate X cheated on her taxes, would you vote for her?" is a question typical of __________.

push polls

In July 2012, CNN conducted an online poll asking visitors to its Web site to offer their opinions about the appropriate punishment for a well-known celebrity who had violated the terms of her probation. Like the 1936 Literary Digest straw poll, this poll violated a well-known cardinal rule of survey sampling by allowing for __________.

self-selection

From the time of the earliest public opinion polls, women have held more liberal attitudes than men about __________ issues, such as education, poverty, capital punishment, and the environment.

social