POLS 1100 Exam 2
Beliefs originate with family or early childhood experiences
True
Compared to the president and Congress, the Supreme Court is less visible, so its approval ratings are likely to be higher.
True
When we say that elections are a ritual expression of legitimate democratic political authority, we are describing their __________ effect.
symbolic
The main source of news for all age groups, except for those 18-29 years old, is:
television
What remains the top source of news for most Americans?
television
During the nominating stage, Republicans used a ___________ system, in which the winning candidate receives all of delegates for the state.
winner takes all
The Internet is the main source of news for:
young adults
Which body of government is least susceptible to public opinion polls?
US Supreme Court
Presidential approval ratings usually ________ over a president's term of office.
decline
How many amendments to the Constitution have to do with elections?
10
Currently, the percentage of the electorate that is Democratic, Republican, and Independent is:
32,24,40
Which of the following will influence the accuracy of polls?
A random sample consists of a limited number of people from the overall population, selected in such a way that each has an equal chance of being chosen. A representative sample consists of a group whose demographic distribution is similar to that of the overall population. The margin of error is a number that states how far the poll results may be from the actual opinion of the total population of citizens. The lower the margin of error, the more predictive the poll.
To be eligible for the US Senate, a person must be
At least 30 years old A citizen for at least 9 years A resident of the state they are representing
The two political parties that have been dominant in the US since the 1850's are:
Democrat, Republican
According to the rational choice model of voting, when does it make rational sense for a person to vote?
Does it matter to the voter if Candidate A or B is elected? Will the individual voter's participation be likely to influence the outcome of the election? Correct! When the answers to A and B are yes, then vote. If the answers to A and B are no, there is no benefit to voting.
In terms of prior experience and gender, why was the 2016 presidential party nomination and election unusual?
Donald Trump had no previous political experience Hillary Clinton was the first woman to be nominated by a major party
In the 2016 Presidential election
Donald Trump received the most electoral votes and Hillary Clinton received the most popular votes
For which of the following reasons were the early U.S. political parties formed?
Early parties were electoral coalitions of elites, mostly in the U.S. Congress They were mostly designed to help win House elections and the presidency They quickly expanded activities to the state level.
What methods were adopted by states that link the selection of Electoral College electors to the presidential popular vote in the state?
Electors from the party whose candidate won the most popular votes in the state's presidential election cast the electoral votes for the state
Which agents of socialization will have the strongest impact on an individual
Family and School
The first party system in the US included which two political parties?
Federalist, Democratic Republican
Which supporter of federalism warned people about the dangers of political parties?
George washington
What evidence shows that over the years, Democrats and Republicans have moved further apart in their beliefs about the role of government?
In 2012, 47 percent of Democrats and 77 percent of Republicans agreed with the statement that the government controlled too much of our daily lives
___ refers to the tendency for members of Congress to win reelection in overwhelming numbers.
Incumbency advantage
A poll states that Hillary Clinton will receive 43 percent of the vote. There is an 8 percent margin of error. What do you think of the poll?
It is a non-representative poll and the margin of error is too high
How have changes in technology made polling more difficult?
It is now harder for pollsters to create a random and representative sample. Many citizens use only cell phones, whose area codes do not indicate their geographic location new technology requires companies to make online polls accessible on different platforms.
Focuses on equality and supports government intervention in society and the economy if it promotes equality. Expects government to provide basic social and educational programs to help everyone have a chance to succeed.
Modern liberalism
The three distinct stages of presidential campaigns include which of the following?
Obtaining a party nomination Being formally nominated at the party national convention Conducting a general election campaign
Regarding party identification, which of the following statements is true?
Over 85% of Republicans are White. Most Republicans consider themselves to be Conservatives Most Democrats consider themselves to be liberals or moderates
________ political content is given by a media source that lets the reader or viewer know upfront there is a political bias or position
Overt
A citizen's self-proclaimed preference for one party
Party identification
________ may donate money, but typically only vote in elections.
Party identifiers
___________ are active in recruitment, registration, fundraising, and get-out-the-vote efforts.
Party organization members
Which of the following best explains the incorrect assumption that Hillary Clinton was ahead of Trump and would probably win the 2016 Presidential election?
Polls under-estimated Trump's support in the Upper Midwest. Polls showed Hillary Clinton leading, if narrowly, in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, which had voted Democratic for president six elections running. Trump edged out victories in all three states.
Which of the following is a survey research technique used that reflects modern-day technology?
Random-digit-dialing (RDD) A computer dials random or pre-programmed numbers and a prerecorded electronic voice administers the survey. The respondent listens to the question and possible answers and then presses numbers on the phone to enter responses. Internet polls conduct surveys through email or social media accounts.
Which of the following play an important role in children's political socialization:
Schools Friends Family
According to research, why might a woman decide not to run for office?
She fears the media will criticize her family.
Which of the following is an example of an increasingly democratic feature of US elections?
The nominating process has been democratized.
Among 3rd party presidential candidates, who received the highest percentage of the popular vote?
Theodore Roosevelt
Which third party candidate received the most electoral college votes?
Theodore Roosevelt (Progressive)
Social and economic issues are more likely to cause polarization in public opinion when the issues balance two controversial concerns; such as a limited budget and personal financial needs, or religious liberty and equality
True
Social media is an effective way to spread news and information because it allows citizens and businesses to quickly forward information and news to large groups of friends and followers.
True
The media uses polls to determine which candidates are viable or likely to win. Viable candidates receive more media attention and stories.
True
Which of the following aspects of citizens political involvement are shaped by party identification?
Voting filtering information from the media political ideology
Television news became a regular feature during ________ due to the public's demand for ________ to explain current events
WWII; images and maps
Which of the following is a challenge that college students face with regard to voter registration?
Where do students wish to register, at home or at college? Out-of-state students have moved across state lines, so they must establish residency in a new state.
Which of the following voting preferences of whites, men, and women occurred in the 2016 presidential election?
White non-Hispanic voters preferred Trump over Clinton More men supported Trump than Clinton Women supported Clinton over Trump
The electoral system in the United States, which encourages a two party system, is called
Winner take all or Single Member Plurality System
Which of the following is not an agent of political socialization?
a U.S. senator
Which of the following is not part of a scientific poll design?
a leading question
A local station that broadcasts national network programming is called a(an) ________ station.
affiliate
If you were going to predict whether an acquaintance would vote in the next election, what information would help you?
age educational level income level
The Constitution requires that to be elected to the House of Representatives, a person must be:
at least 25 years old
For what reasons have third parties developed in the US?
because of a single issue because of an extreme ideological position as a splinter from a major party
The belief that in order to support democratic government, a citizen should always vote:
civic duty concept
Why do Belgium, Turkey, and Australia have higher voter turnout rates than the United States?
compulsory voting laws
When acting as an agenda setter, the media ________.
decides which issues deserve public attention
Historically, public support for presidents ____________ during their terms.
declines
Which of the following is a justification to make voter registration more difficult?
decrease election fraud
A margin of sampling ________ is a statistical calculation for how accurate a poll's results are.
error
This form of government will run the economy, the military, society, and culture, and often tries to control the private lives of its citizens. Authoritarian leaders control the politics, military, and government of a country, and often the economy as well.
facism
Democrats tend to identify as conservatives; Republicans usually identify with liberal or moderate policy positions.
false
Election details are the responsibility of the national government, according to the Constitution.
false
Our families almost never play an important role in our political socialization as children.
false
When political parties cause people to choose what signals in the media environment to accept or reject, this phenomenon is referred to as
filtering
________ shapes which signals in the media environment people pay attention to, and accept or reject.
filtering
In this common practice when redistricting, the party in power draws district lines to increase its chances of winning.
gerrymandering
Since 1976, ___ have won the office of president most often.
governors
Political parties perform all of the following tasks EXCEPT
implement the laws passed by Congress.
How are most attitudes formed?
in childhood, based on early childhood experiences
The Supreme Court determined that the right of the press to print classified material ________.
is partial, and the press may print classified material only if it does not compromise troops or covert operatives
Which of the following is a negative result of partisan polarization?
it can lead to dysfunctional government
Public support for Congress is currently __________ than it has historically been?
lower
Public support for Donald Trump is ________ than it was for other modern presidents early in their terms?
lower
The voter turnout rate in the US is _________ than it is in most other countries
lower
When we say that elections change public policy, and sometimes change our national life, we are describing their __________ effect.
substantive
Which of the following are non-democratic features of US elections?
manipulating voting rules to advantage one party and create an uneven playing field
The Democratic and Republican parties draw from which distinct segments of American society.
most minority groups are democrats
Cable programming is usually ________.
national
By the 1830s, ______ had become the first mass media.
newspapers
What characterizes those most likely to vote in the next election
over forty-five years old
Media coverage of a race tends to ________.
overrepresent African Americans as poor
A conglomerate is a corporation that ________.
owns many businesses and media networks
Which of the following factors influence voters' presidential voting decisions?
party identification how voters evaluation the integrity, reliability and competence of candidates Voters' issue preferences and where candidates stand on policy issues
The document that is developed at a party's national convention that contains a political party's core convictions and issue priorities?
party platform
The process through which an individual acquires his or her particular political orientation
political socialization
In which type of election are you most likely to see coattail effects?
presidential
____ refers to a system in which the candidates in a state primary or caucus election receive delegates to a party's national nominating convention in proportion to the share of the total vote they received.
proportional representation
In what ways is media responsible for promoting the public good?
provide citizens with information about local and national government, bring awareness to issues, expose government wrongdoing
What of the following is a positive result of partisan polarization?
provides voters clear choices and makes it easier to hold elected officials accountable
Voters change party allegiances in response to shifts in party position, and suggests that polarization is a function of voters' paying more attention to national politics and voting more consistently.
sorting thesis
According to the Constitution, if no candidate receives a majority of electoral votes, how is the President selected?
the House of Representatives chooses the winner from the 3 candidates with the most electoral votes
Which institution has the highest average public approval ratings?
the Supreme Court
Among the following statements, which is the most accurate regarding who will be the President of the United States
the candidate who receives the majority of electoral votes
In the Constitution, how is the number of electoral votes determined for each state?
the number of senators and members of the House of Representatives it has.
Which of the following has not represented a major contributing factor in party realignment?
third parties
In the 1830s through 1850s, the Democratic Party focused on the "common people" and used personal politics to gain national prominence.
true
The media's biggest bias results from the need to win higher ratings and appeal to advertisers.
true
How many presidential debates are held during presidential general elections?
typically, two or three
Newspapers during the Revolutionary War period tended to ________.
unite the colonists and provide information about the British
