Chapter 10

Question 0

Public opinion polls

Answer 0

Interviews or surveys with samples of citizens that are used to estimate the feelings and beliefs of the entire population

Question 1

Public opinion

Answer 1

What the public thinks about a particular issue or set of issues at any point in time

Question 2

Straw poll

Answer 2

Unscientific survey used to gauge public opinion on a variety of issues and policies

Question 3

Sample

Answer 3

A subset of the whole population selected to be questioned for the purposes of prediction or gauging opinion

Question 4

Push polls

Answer 4

Polls taken for the purpose of providing information on an opponent that would lead respondents to vote against that candidate

Question 5

Population

Answer 5

The entire group of people whose attitudes a researcher wishes to measure

Question 6

Random sampling

Answer 6

A method of poll selection that gives each person in a group the same chances of being selected

Question 7

Stratified sampling

Answer 7

A variation of random sampling; the population is divided into subgroups and weighted based on demographic characteristics of the national population

Question 8

Tracking polls

Answer 8

Continuous surveys that enable a campaign or news organization to chart a candidate’s daily rise or fall in support

Question 9

Exit polls

Answer 9

Polls conducted as voters leave selected polling places on election day

Question 10

Margin of error

Answer 10

A measure of accuracy of a public opinion poll

Question 11

political socialization

Answer 11

The process through which individuals acquire their political beliefs and values