Section 11.1: What is Public Opinion?

What percentage of Americans knew who the Speaker of the House was, according to a Pew Research Center survey? a. 37 percent b. 44 percent c. 47 percent d. 62 percent

62 percent

How can Benjamin Page and Robert Shapiro's hypothesis be summarized? a. Americans can develop a better opinion on issues by talking to others. b. Americans can form opinions on every issue with basic research. c. The news media is the best way for Americans to develop well-informed opinions. d. Americans can be collectively rational even if there are inconsistent opinions at the individual level.

Americans can be collectively rational even if there are inconsistent opinions at the individual level.

Which statement BEST describes an argument regarding the significance of public opinion on American political life? a. Average citizens do not have the ability to express meaningful opinions on all of the issues facing the country. b. Not everyone cares about all the issues facing the country today, and they have no interest in learning. c. Average citizens do not need to have an opinion on all of the issues facing the country today. d. Public opinion generally does not have an impact on American politics due to the lack of knowledge of most of the Americans surveyed.

Average citizens do not have the ability to express meaningful opinions on all of the issues facing the country.

Travis is looking to get involved with a social movement that aligns with his values. Travis firmly believes that racism is an issue in America, especially when it comes to police-community interactions. Which social movement should Travis get involved with? a. Me Too b. Black Lives Matter c. Equality for Women d. Open Borders for All

Black Lives Matter

Why is public opinion crucial to the functioning of a representative democracy? a. It allows candidates and elected officials to know what platforms to run on. b. It gives elected officials a better idea of what their constituents want. c. It provides insight for a candidate into the likelihood of being voted into a position. d. It gives elected officials an idea of who their constituents are.

It gives elected officials a better idea of what their constituents want.

What was the primary goal of the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020? a. Body camera requirements b. Gun control reforms c. Equal voting rights for African Americans d. Law enforcement reform

Law enforcement reform

Which statement BEST summarizes the findings in a Pew Center survey on the perception of whether racism is a big problem? a. More Republicans than Democrats view racism as a big problem. b. More whites than blacks view racism as a big problem. c. More high-income respondents than low-income respondents view racism as a big problem. d. More Democrat-leaning respondents than Republican-leaning respondents view racism as a big problem.

More Democrat-leaning respondents than Republican-leaning respondents view racism as a big problem.

Heather is a Republican and is voting in the upcoming election. Heather has not had a chance to do much research on the policies supported by each candidate on the ballot, so Heather will likely vote for the (______) candidates.

Republican

What was the main idea behind football players in the National Football League kneeling for the national anthem? a. a tribute to fallen heroes. b. a protest against income inequality. c. a protest against racism, especially in police-community relations. d. a protest against President Donald Trump.

a protest against racism, especially in police-community relations.

Public opinion involves two components, one of which is: a. the beliefs and attitudes of one specific demographic. b. the beliefs and attitudes of only those who have well-informed views. c. the beliefs and attitudes of an individual. d. the beliefs and attitudes of a handful of American citizens.

the beliefs and attitudes of an individual.

Public opinion can be defined as: a. how average Americans view the president. b. the sum of individual attitudes about government, policies, and issues. c. the feelings of individuals about what issues are important to them. d. the views of Americans on how well they feel they are represented.

the sum of individual attitudes about government, policies, and issues.

Which group is MOST likely to have a gap in factual knowledge about the American government? a. older white Americans b. high-income Americans c. highly-educated African Americans d. young, low-income African Americans

young, low-income African Americans