APGovCh10KristianRuiz Flashcards
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Public Opinion
What the public thinks about a particular issue or set of issues at any point in time.
Public Opinion Polls
Interviews or surveys with samples of citizens that are used to estimate the feelings and beliefs of the entire population.
George Gallup
On the earliest developers of scientific methods for public opinion polling and a proponent for a strong role for the voice of the public in politics and government.
Straw Poll
Unscientific survey used to gauge public opinion on a variety of issues and policies.
Sample
A subset of the whole population selected to be questioned for the purposes of prediction or gauging opinion.
American National Election Studies
Founded in 1952 by researchers at the University of Michigan and
Push Polls
Polls taken for the purpose of providing information on an opponent that would lead respondents to vote against that candidate.
Population
The entire group of people whose attitudes a researcher wishes to measure.
Random Sampling
A method of poll selection that gives each person in a group the same chance of being selected.
Stratified Sampling
A variation of random sampling; the population is divided into subgroups and weighed based on demographic characteristics of the national population.
Tracking Polls
Continuous surveys that enable a campaign or news organization to chart a candidates daily or weekly rise or fall in support.
Exit Polls
Polls conducted as voters leave selected polling places on Election Day.
Margin of Error
A measure of the accuracy of a public opinion poll within statistical parameters.
Sampling Error
Errors resulting from the size of the quality of a survey sample.
Political Ideology
The coherent set of values and beliefs about the purpose and scope of government held by groups and individuals.
Conservative
One who favors limited government intervention, particularly in economic affairs.
Social Conservative
One who believes that the government should support and further traditional moral teachings.
Liberal
One who favors greater government intervention, particularly in economic affairs and in the provision of social services.
Moderate
A person who takes a relatively centrist or middle-of-the -road view on most political issues.
statist
One who believes in extensive government control of personal and economic liberties.
Libertarian
One who believes in limited government interference in personal and economic liberties.
Political Socialization
The process through which individuals acquire their political beliefs and values.
