chapter 4

Question 1

American National Election Studies (ANES)

Answer 1

Founded in 1952 by researchers at the University of Michigan and Stanford University, ANES collects data on the political attitudes and behavior among voters, such as party affiliation, voting practices, and opinions on parties and candidates

Question 2

Public Opinion

Answer 2

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

Question 3

Public Opinion Polls

Answer 3

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

Question 4

George Gallop

Answer 4

One of 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

Question 5

Straw Poll

Answer 5

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

Question 6

Sample

Answer 6

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

Question 7

Push Polls

Answer 7

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

Question 8

Population

Answer 8

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

Question 9

Random Sampling

Answer 9

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

Question 10

Stratified Sampling

Answer 10

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

Question 11

Tracking Polls

Answer 11

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

Question 12

Exit Polls

Answer 12

Polls conducted as voters leave selected polling places on Election Day

Question 13

Margin of Error

Answer 13

A measure of the accuracy of a public opinion poll within statistical parameters

Question 14

Sampling Error

Answer 14

Errors resulting for the size or the quality of a survey sample

Question 15

Political Ideology

Answer 15

The coherent set of values and beliefs about the purpose and scope of government by groups and individuals

Question 16

Social Conservative

Answer 16

One who believes that the government should support and further traditional moral teachings

Question 17

Conservative

Answer 17

One who favors limited government intervention, particularly in economic affairs

Question 18

Liberal

Answer 18

One who favors greater government intervention, particularly in economic affairs and in the provision of social services

Question 19

Moderate

Answer 19

A person who takes a relatively centrist or middle-of-the-road view on most political issues

Question 20

Statist

Answer 20

One who believes in extensive government control of personal and economic liberties

Question 21

Libertarian

Answer 21

One who believes in limited government interference in personal and economic liberties

Question 22

Political Socialization

Answer 22

The process through which individuals acquire their political beliefs and values