American Government ch 6 (poli science)

Which of the following is true of the strong link between religiosity and political party?

It is applicable only to white voters.

Which of the following are true of public trust in the executive branch?

It is deeply influenced by external events.

The individuals, organizations, and institutions that facilitate the acquisition of political views are called of socialization.

agents

Where does our political socialization begin?

at home

Voting turnout patterns among eligible voters ______ the gender gap.

increase the effect of

The increased diversity of both the Millennial generation and Generation Z is reflected in their

increased tolerance.

Millennials are the largest generation in the United States and make up roughly ______ of its population.

one-third

Racial and ethnic differences have been observed for which of the following political preferences?

party affiliation issues candidates

Who is most likely to participate in civic life?

people who have been exposed to politics

Most public opinion polls have a sampling error of

plus or minus 3 percentage points.

What do we learn about through our peers?

political climate and values

Which of the following are likely to lead to political action or activism later in life?

political discussion in the home parents' educational attainment political and social activities in high school

What is the process by which we develop our political values and opinions?

political socialization

Which of the following refers to the group of people in a poll whose opinions are of interest and/or about whom information is desired?

population

Which of the following refers to the publics' expressed views about an issue at a specific point in time?

public opinion

On which of the following do policy makers rely when they want to develop and implement policies that represent the views of their constituencies?

public opinion polls

What is a special type of poll that both provides information to campaigns about candidate strengths and weaknesses and attempts to skew public opinion about a candidate?

push polls

The method of selection whereby each member of the population has an equal chance of being included in the sample is called

random sampling.

Research indicates that the primary influence of peers is to ______ our already-held beliefs and values.

reinforce

Of the following, which most accounts for differences in regional political climate?

religiosity

The statistical calculation of the difference in results between a poll of randomly drawn sample and a poll of the entire population is called a

sampling error.

With regard to domestic matters, the public's trust in the government's ability to successfully deal with issues has

seen a notable drop since 2005.

Which type of sampling divides U.S. census data into fourths and selects certain areas in each region as the basis of its sampling pool?

stratified sampling

Political socialization affects us when we receive new information, and we

tend to place that new information in the context of what we already know.

Which of the following is the strongest example of an event that shaped the view of a generation?

the Great Depression

What generational effect most likely influenced the results of one poll that found that 8 out of 10 members of Generation Z think of themselves as "fiscally conservative"?

the Great Recession

For the first time in a decade, which of the following was not the top issue of American concern?

the economy

Currently, some of the most important problems facing the nation, as identified by public opinion polling, include

the economy. income inequality. dissatisfaction with government.

Which of the three branches generally scores highest on evaluations of public trust?

the judicial branch

Institutions, peers, and the media influence our political views

throughout our lives.

Which of the following are reasons politicians use opinion polls?

to determine their initial name recognition to determine the effectiveness of their campaign strategies to determine their opponents' weaknesses

How are public opinion polls used in politics?

to encourage citizens to interact with their government to allow citizens to express approval or disapproval of government officials and policies

Why do pollsters most often rely on random sampling?

to ensure that each member of the population has an equal chance at being included in the sample Reason: While on its face this answer seems correct, the "all" part makes it too inclusive. Survey researchers do not measure all opinions; they only care about a portion of society's opinion. A random sample deals with the "coverage problem" and increases the representativeness of a survey instrument's results. This reduces error and bias.

What are the main purposes of public opinion polls in the political arena?

to help campaigns craft their message to connect Americans to their government to identify voter priorities

There is a strong link between being informed and

voting behavior.

What are the three most important things that political leaders learn from public opinion polls?

what issues are important to people whether the people approve of the way government is doing their job what policy issues people prefer

Which of the following best characterizes the political philosophy of Millennials?

"live and let live"

Which of the following is true of the relationship between race and ethnicity and support for candidates in the 2016 election?

A majority of whites preferred Donald Trump. A majority of blacks supported Hillary Clinton.

What sources of information may affect one's political knowledge and voting behavior?

newspaper Internet magazine

Which of the following is true of the way that schools in the United States socialize children?

Children are socialized to believe in democracy and express patriotism.

Which is true of the relationship between demographic characteristics and public opinion?

Demographic characteristics shape public opinion.

Why do political attitudes and beliefs vary depending on the region of the United States?

Differences stem in part from historical patterns of immigration.

True or false: Politically inactive parents are likely to raise knowledgeable and politically active citizens.

False Reason: A key aspect of political socialization is whether children are socialized to participate in politics.

True or false: Public opinion and ideology are two separate and distinct concepts.

False Reason: Public opinion and ideology are inextricably linked because ideology informs people's opinions on a full range of political issues.

How can the impact of church and religion on one's political socialization vary from person to person?

For some, religion plays a significant role in the development of their political beliefs. For others, it is irrelevant.

How can the media help to determine the national agenda?

If the media focus attention on an issue, the public might demand action.

Which of the following is true of the influence of political leaders on peoples' political opinions?

People will rely on recommendations and priorities of well-respected leaders who have earned their trust.

Which religious denomination is most prevalent in the southern region of the United States?

Protestant

True or false: Gender can influence how individuals contribute to the civic life of their communities and the nation.

True Reason: This statement is true. Factors such as race, ethnicity, and gender can affect civic involvement.

Research indicates which of the following relationships between religiosity and partisan identification?

Very religious Americans are most likely to be Republicans. Nonreligious Americans are most likely to be Democrats.

Which of the following are examples of how the media shape political perceptions?

The media educate the public about policy issues. The media help determine the national agenda. The media help shape societal norms.

What are some potential limitations to the methods researchers use to select random samples?

The standard method of random-digit dialing of telephones has historically excluded cell-only citizens. Those who are willing to respond to pollsters tend to be more politically engaged than those who choose not to respond. There are high rates of nonresponse due to the use of caller ID.

True or false: Polls shape public opinion, and their results provide an important source of information for the American public.

True Reason: The role of opinion polls in shaping citizens' involvement with their government is circular.

If your parents were active in a specific party in your town's politics, you are more likely to

be involved in that party too.

Which of the following are ways that the media shape societal norms?

by imparting norms and values by reflecting changing societal standards by reinforcing core democratic values

Between 1972 and 2010 public trust in the government's ability to handle domestic matters has

decreased.

One of the first steps in administering a public opinion poll is

determining the target population.

Which of the following issues emerged in the United States as "the most important problem" in 2018?

dissatisfaction with government/poor leadership

Which polls are conducted at polling places on Election Day to determine the winner of an election before the polls close?

exit polls

Who is most likely to influence what we believe and whether we are active participants in civic life?

family

Our tendency to grow up as Democrats or Republicans is often established by

family.

Over the past decade the public's trust in the ability of government to resolve international problems has

fluctuated up and down.

In 2016, the ______ was apparent, with Hillary Clinton garnering a large majority of women's votes.

gender gap

Which of the following may contribute to differences in political climate?

geographic region

Political and community leaders

influence people's opinions.

Which branch of government generally struggles to maintain its approval rating, as compared to the other branches?

legislative

Citizens living in northeastern states, such as New York and Massachusetts, tend to be more ______ than those who live in the South or Midwest.

liberal

Which of the following are among the most important agents of socialization?

media schools family

Which of the following generally characterizes the demographics of the Northeast as compared to the South?

more likely to support the Democratic Party lower levels of religiosity more Catholics and Jews

Which age group is most strongly affected by generational effects?

young people