Chapter 6-9 Government and Politics Quiz Flashcards
1
Q
What is public opinion?
A
a collection of popular views about something (Ex. about a person, a local or national event, or a new idea.)
2
Q
What is the purpose of polling?
A
To gather information on public opinion
3
Q
Beliefs
A
Closely held ideas that support our values and expectations about life and politics.
4
Q
Attitudes
A
Affected by our personal beliefs, represent the preferences we form based on our life experiences and values
ex. A person who has suffered racism or bigotry may have a skeptical attitude toward the actions of authority figures,
5
Q
Political socialization
A
Process by which we are trained to understand and join a country’s political world
Tends to start very young
6
Q
What are the basis’s of political alignment?
A
- Support of beliefs
- Support of socialization
- Support of experience
7
Q
Underlying beliefs and attitudes are most likely to change drastically as we age. True or False?
A
False, they are unlikely to change very much, unless we experience events that profoundly affect us.
8
Q
What tends to drastically change public opinion?
A
Catastrophic events
(ex. terrorist attacks, economic depression)
9
Q
Today, polling agencies have noticed that citizens’ beliefs have become far more ________, or widely opposed, over the last decade.
A
polarized
10
Q
Polarization
A
11
Q
Agent of Political Socialization
A
A source of political information intended to help citizens understand how to act in their political system and how to make decisions on political matters.
(ex. family, school, religious institutions, social media)
12
Q
Example of a nation using an agent of socialization
A
China stresses nationalism in schools as a way to increase national unity.
13
Q
Diffuse Support
A
the widespread belief that a country and its legal system are legitimate
Support characterized by:
- a high level of stability in politics
- acceptance of the government as legitimate
- a common goal of preserving the system.
14
Q
The United States political system benefits from diffuse support
A
True, democracies require majority agreement in issues, thus, it is easier to progress given the majority is large
15
Q
For many children, _______ is the first introduction to politics.
A
family (and then school)
16
Q
How School becomes an Agent of Political Socialization
A
- Leaving out unsavory details to idealize political figures (Ex. Not telling students that George Washington owned slaves)
- Making political figures relatable to students (ex. Lincoln’s struggle to get an education)
- Teaching students to respect the government, laws, officers (ex. The Pledge of Allegiance)
17
Q
How Religion becomes an Agent of Political Socialization
A
- Religion leaders often teach on matters of life, death, punishment, and obligation (ex. Opposing abortion because a religion’s concept of when life is conceived)
- Political candidates speak at religious centers and institutions in an effort to meet like-minded voters.
(ex. Senator Ted Cruz announced his 2016 presidential bid at Liberty University, an evangelical Christian institution.)
18
Q
How Friends and Peers become an Agent of Political Socialization
A
- We are more likely to trust our peers and friends with information
- Social Media presents data on what your friends and peers agree with (through likes)
19
Q
How Media becomes an Agent of Political Socialization
A
- For a long time, served as gatekeepers of information, creating reality by choosing what to present
- Framing how information is presented (ex. Candidates described with negative adjectives, for instance, may do poorly on Election Day)
- Information presented as fact can contain covert or overt political material.
20
Q
Why are newer forms of media weaker agents of political socialization that older ones?
A
Newer forms (like social media) cannot pick and choose information to present than older forms (like newpapers)
21
Q
Covert content
A
Political information provided under the pretense that it is neutral.
ideologically slanted information presented as unbiased information in order to influence public opinion
22
Q
Overt content
A
Political information that offers only one side of the political debate,
23
Q
List the benchmarks of the U.S. political spectrum (from left to right)
A
Communism, socialism, liberal, center, conservative, authoritarian, Fascism
24
Q
Fascism
A
Promotes total control of the country by the ruling party or political leader.
25
Authoritarianism
Promote leaders to have most control for the politics, military, and government of a country, and often the economy as well.
26
Conservatism
Hold tight to the traditions of a nation by balancing individual rights with the good of the community
27
Traditional conservatism
Supports the authority of the monarchy and the church, believing government provides the rule of law and maintains a society that is safe and organized.
28
Modern Conservatism
assuming elected government will guard individual liberties and provide laws. Modern conservatives also prefer a smaller government that stays out of the economy, allowing the market and business to determine prices, wages, and supply.
29
Classical liberalism
believes in individual liberties and rights. It is based on the idea of free will, that people are born equal with the right to make decisions without government intervention. It views government with suspicion, since history includes many examples of monarchs and leaders who limited citizens’ rights.
30
Modern Liberalism
focuses on equality and supports government intervention in society and the economy if it promotes equality. Liberals expect government to provide basic social and educational programs to help everyone have a chance to succeed.
31
Socialism
the government uses its authority to promote social and economic equality within the country.
32
Communism
a political and economic system in which, in theory, government promotes common ownership of all property, means of production, and materials to prevent the exploitation of workers while creating an equal society; in practice, most communist governments have used force to maintain control
33
How does communism differ in theory and in practice?
The theory assumes the move to communism is supported and led by the workers and citizens of a country.
In practice, human rights violations by governments of actual Communist countries make it appear the movement has been driven not by the people, but by leadership.
34
Straw Polls
Informal polls that collect opinions of a non-random population or group.
35
Steps for a poll to be completed scientifically
1. Identify the desired population, or group, of respondents to interview.
2. Researchers will begin to build a sample that is both random and representative.
3. Interview a set number of citizens to create a reasonable sample of the population.
4. Analyze the margin of error
36
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.
(ex. home telephones)
37
Representative sample
Consists of a group whose demographic distribution is similar to that of the overall population.
(ex. Women)
38
Larger poll samples = More ________
Accuracy
39
Margin of error
A number that states how far the poll results may be from the actual opinion of the total population of citizens.
40
Lower the margin of error = more
Predictive ability of the poll
41
Types of face to face interviewing
Exit polls: Interviewer requesting information as voters leave the polls.
Focus groups: Often select random respondents from local shopping places or pre-select respondents from Internet or phone surveys. The respondents show up to observe or discuss topics and are then surveyed.
42
Problems in polling
43
Push polls
Politically biased campaign information presented as polls.
44
How do push polls work?
Respondents are called and asked a series of questions about their position or candidate selections. If a respondent’s answers are for the wrong candidate, the next questions will give negative information about the candidate in an effort to change the voter’s mind.
45
Two Methods of Forming Opinions About Politics
1. Heuristics: Shortcuts or generalization in decisions (ex. Voting for a republican because you are a republican)
2. Research: learning background information before making a decision.
46
Examples of heuristics in candidacy
A candidate's political party affiliation, gender, race, socio-economic status, and interest-group affiliation
(Ex. Voting for a woman because you believe she will better understand political issues regarding women)
47
Political opinions based on heuristics tend to change when the cue changes
True
48
Political opinions based on research tend to change when the cue changes
False (but demographic cues still matter)
49
Political cultures
states had unique cultures and that different state governments instilled different attitudes and beliefs in their citizens,
50
Political elites
An important political opinion leader who alerts the public to changes or problems
51
Party system of the United States
Two-Party System (Traditionally)
52
Public Opinion is measured in
Approval Ratings
53
Approval Ratings
54
Differences in Presidental and Congress Approval Ratings
Presidental:
Higher
Usually regarding foreign and domestic events
Congress:
Lower
Mainly domestic events
55
The theory of delegate representation
Assumes the politician is in office to be the voice of the people.
56
Favorability Polls
Measured how positively voters felt about her as a candidate.
57
Bandwagon effect
The media pays more attention to candidates who poll well during the fall and the first few primaries
58
horserace coverage
day-to-day media coverage of candidate performance in the election
59
Bradley effect
the difference between a poll result and an election result in which voters gave a socially desirable poll response rather than a true response that might be perceived as racist
60
Leading Question
A question worded to lead a respondent to give a desired answer
61
Margin of error
a number that states how far the poll results may be from the actual preferences of the total population of citizens
62
Methods used to disenfranchise black voters
Literacy Tests, Grandfather Clauses, Poll Taxes
63
Disenfranchisement
To stop someone from voting
64
Grandfather Clause
Exempted individuals from taking literacy tests or paying poll taxes if they or their fathers or grandfathers had been permitted to vote prior to a certain point in time.
65
Events that were significant to voting rights
The ratification of the Twenty-Fourth Amendment in 1964 ended poll taxes
Voting Rights Act (VRA) in 1965
66
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Protected the rights of minority voters by prohibiting state laws that denied voting rights based on race.
67
Court decision that pretty much ended the Voting Rights Acts
Shelby County v. Holder (2013) effectively pushed decision-making and discretion for election policy in VRA states to the state and local level. Several such states subsequently made changes to their voter ID laws and North Carolina changed its plans for how many polling places were available in certain areas.
68
Voting Registration Laws
- Complete an application
- residency requirement
- there may be an oath administered or more questions asked, such as felony convictions.
- Provide government documents
- Timeline of when to register varies
69
The National Voter Registration Act (1993) (AKA Motor Voter)
Enacted to expedite the registration process and make it as simple as possible for voters.
- The act required states to allow citizens to register to vote when they sign up for driver’s licenses and Social Security benefits.
Did not dramatically effect voter turnout
70
Oregon's addition to Motor Voter act (2015)
When 18, automatically registered using driver's license and state identification
71
Some State varying requirements to vote
- 18 years old (all)
- Not serving jail time
- Voter's oath
72
Voter turnout Calculation
Ballots collection/Who many could have voted
These can be categorized into subsections like age, race, gender
73
Voting-age population
Population of 18+
74
Voting-eligible population
Citizens eighteen and older who, whether they have registered or not, are eligible to vote because they are citizens, and not imprisoned.
75
Calculation for VEP
VAP - the state’s prison population and any other known group that cannot vote.
76
Largest to smallest categories of voters turnout
Total Population, VAP, VEP, Registered, Votes in that year
77
Factors that Encourange Voter Turnout
- Whether they voted last year or registered
- Targeting Voting Eligible, non registered population
- Targeting young people and
- Completed college degree
- Higher income
78
Least and most likely age ranges to vote
Least: 18-25
Most: 65-74
79
Reasons why young people vote less
- Frequent moving
- School interruptions
- Less interest in politics, therefore less targeted by politicians
- Unaware of what government provides
-
80
Demographics more likely to vote
- White
- College graduate
- Income above $150000 a year
- Woman
- 65-74 years old
81
Factors that decrease voter turnout
- Non mandated participation
- Requirement to show photo ID
- Only on election day (busy schedules) (Tried to fix this with early voting)
- Apathy (My vote doesn't matter)
82
Factors of becoming a political candidate
- Will my local state or area support me politically
- Is my children grown enough so I won't have to balance the responsibility
- Competitive or open seat
83
Competitive Seat
describes a race where a challenger runs against the incumbent—the current office holder.
84
Open Seat
One whose incumbent is not running for reelection.
85
War Chest
Campaign accounts registered with the Federal Election Commission, and candidates are allowed to keep earlier donations if they intend to run for office again.
86
Political action committees (PACs)
Organizations created to raise and spend money to influence politics and contribute to candidates’ campaigns
87
super PACs
(Independent Expenditure-Only Committees)
Cannot:
contribute directly to a candidate
strategize with a candidate’s campaign.
Can:
raise and spend as much money as they please to support or attack a candidate, including running advertisements and hosting events.
88
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)
led to the removal of spending limits on corporations
89
Limits on Campaign Contributions
Individuals:
- $2,900 per candidate per election
- $5,000 to political action committees
- $36500 to national party committiee
- $109500 to Additional National Party Accounts per account per year
90
Nomination Stage
States pay for election to nominate candidates
91
Constitution shows how candidates are nominated, but not elected
False, opposite
92
Primacy Elections
93
Closed Primacy Election
only registered members of the political party selecting nominees may vote.
94
Open primary election
Allows all voters to vote.
95
A top-two primary
Pits all candidates against each other, regardless of party affiliation.
96
Caucus
A meeting of party members in which nominees are selected informally. A form of candidate nomination that occurs in a town-hall style format rather than a day-long election; usually reserved for presidential elections
97
Delegates
Party members who are chosen to represent a particular candidate at the party’s state- or national-level nominating convention
98
Only states that are given express permission by the national parties to hold presidential primaries or caucuses in January or February
Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina
99
Convention Stage
State conventions are held, speeches are given
100
Reasons to host traditional conventions
1. the parties require that the delegates officially cast their ballots. Delegates from each state come to the national party convention to publicly state who their state’s voters selected as the nominee.
2. Delegates will bring state-level concerns and issues to the national convention for discussion, while local-level delegates bring concerns and issues to state-level conventions.
3. conventions are covered by most news networks and cable programs.
101
The general election campaign period occurs between
mid-August and early November.
102
Coattail effect
Gives members of a popular presidential candidate’s party an increase in popularity and raises their odds of retaining office.
103
Campaign Strategies
1. Name Recognition
2. Visibility in the Public Eye
104
Three forms of direct democracy used in the United States.
Referendum, Initiative, Recall
105
Ballot fatigue
The result when a voter stops voting for offices and initiatives at the bottom of a long ballot
106
Chronic minority
voters who belong to political parties that tend not to be competitive in national elections because they are too small to become a majority or because of the Electoral College system distribution in their state
107
District System
The means by which electoral votes are divided between candidates based on who wins districts and/or the state
108
Early Voting
an accommodation that allows voting up to two weeks before Election Day
109
Electoral College
the constitutionally created group of individuals, chosen by the states, with the responsibility of formally selecting the next U.S. president
110
incumbency advantage
the advantage held by officeholders that allows them to often win reelection
111
incumbent
the current holder of a political office
112
initiative
law or constitutional amendment proposed and passed by the voters and subject to review by the state courts; also called a proposition
113
Midterm Elections
the congressional elections that occur in the even-numbered years between presidential election years, in the middle of the president’s term
114
Platform
the set of issues important to the political party and the party delegates
115
Recall
the removal of a politician or government official by the voters
116
referendum
a yes or no vote by citizens on a law or candidate proposed by the state government
117
shadow campaign
a campaign run by political action committees and other organizations without the coordination of the candidate
118
straight-ticket voting
the practice of voting only for candidates from the same party
119
voter fatigue
the result when voters grow tired of voting and stay home from the polls
120
winner-take-all system
all electoral votes for a state are given to the candidate who wins the most votes in that state
121
Most media are controlled by a
limited number of conglomerates.
122
Conglomerate
a corporation made up of a number of companies, organizations, and media networks.
123
Main four conglomerates of 2021
Comcast, Disney, ViacomCBS, Warner Bros. Discovery
124
Review the chapters
Will do
125
libel and slander occur only in cases where false information is
presented as fact
126
Besides needed to be stated as fact, another reason bad mouthed media can get away is
it is up to the defamed individual or company to bring a lawsuit against the media outlet, and the courts have different standards depending on whether the claimant is a private or public figure.
127
The government can censor any information from the media that is
classified
128
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
requires radio stations to apply for licenses, granted only if stations follow rules about limiting advertising, providing a public forum for discussion, and serving local and minority communities.
129
Episodic framing
when a story focuses on isolated details or specifics rather than looking broadly at a whole issue.
130
Thematic Framing
takes a broad look at an issue and skips numbers or details. It looks at how the issue has changed over a long period of time and what has led to it.
131
agenda setting
the media’s ability to choose which issues or topics get attention
132
beat
the coverage area assigned to journalists for news or stories
133
citizen journalism
video and print news posted to the Internet or social media by citizens rather than the news media
134
cultivation theory
the idea that media affect a citizen’s worldview through the information presented
135
digital paywall
the need for a paid subscription to access published online material
136
equal-time rule
an FCC policy that all candidates running for office must be given the same radio and television airtime opportunities
137
fairness doctrine
a 1949 Federal Communications Commission (FCC) policy, now defunct, that required holders of broadcast licenses to cover controversial issues in a balanced manner
138
framing
the process of giving a news story a specific context or background
139
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
a federal statute that requires public agencies to provide certain types of information requested by citizens
140
hypodermic theory
the idea that information is placed in a citizen’s brain and accepted
141
indecency regulations
laws that limit indecent and obscene material on public airwaves
142
libel
printed information about a person or organization that is not true and harms the reputation of the person or organization
143
mass media
the collection of all media forms that communicate information to the general public
144
minimal effects theory
the idea that the media have little effect on citizens
145
muckraking
news coverage focusing on exposing corrupt business and government practices
146
party press era
period during the 1780s in which newspaper content was biased by political partisanship
147
priming
the process of predisposing readers or viewers to think a particular way
148
prior restraint
a government action that stops someone from doing something before they are able to do it (e.g., forbidding someone to publish a book they plan to release)
149
public relations
biased communication intended to improve the image of people, companies, or organizations
150
reporter’s privilege
the right of a journalist to keep a source confidential
151
slander
spoken information about a person or organization that is not true and harms the reputation of the person or organization
152
soft news
news presented in an entertaining style
153
sunshine laws
laws that require government documents and proceedings to be made public
154
yellow journalism
sensationalized coverage of scandals and human interest stories
155
bipartisanship
a process of cooperation through compromise
156
critical election
an election that represents a sudden, clear, and long-term shift in voter allegiances
157
divided government
a condition in which one or more houses of the legislature is controlled by the party in opposition to the executive
158
first-past-the-post
a system in which the winner of an election is the candidate who wins the greatest number of votes cast, also known as plurality voting
159
gerrymandering
the manipulation of legislative districts in an attempt to favor a particular candidate
160
majoritarian voting
a type of election in which the winning candidate must receive at least 50 percent of the votes, even if a run-off election is required
161
majority party
the legislative party with over half the seats in a legislative body, and thus significant power to control the agenda
162
minority party
the legislative party with less than half the seats in a legislative body
163
moderate
An individual who falls in the middle of the ideological spectrum
164
party identifiers
individuals who represent themselves in public as being part of a party
165
party organization
the formal structure of the political party and the active members responsible for coordinating party behavior and supporting party candidates
166
party platform
the collection of a party’s positions on issues it considers politically important
167
party polarization
the shift of party positions from moderate towards ideological extremes
168
party realignment
a shifting of party alliances within the electorate
169
party-in-government
party identifiers who have been elected to office and are responsible for fulfilling the party’s promises
170
party-in-the-electorate
members of the voting public who consider themselves part of a political party or who consistently prefer the candidates of one party over the other
171
personal politics
a political style that focuses on building direct relationships with voters rather than on promoting specific issues
172
plurality voting
the election rule by which the candidate with the most votes wins, regardless of vote share
173
political machine
an organization that secures votes for a party’s candidates or supports the party in other ways, usually in exchange for political favors such as a job in government
174
political parties
organizations made up of groups of people with similar interests that try to directly influence public policy through their members who seek and hold public office
175
precinct
the lowest level of party organization, usually organized around neighborhoods
176
proportional representation
a party-based election rule in which the number of seats a party receives is a function of the share of votes it receives in an election
177
reapportionment
the reallocation of House seats between the states to account for population changes
178
redistricting
the redrawing of electoral maps
179
safe seat
a district drawn so members of a party can be assured of winning by a comfortable margin
180
sorting
the process in which voters change party allegiances in response to shifts in party position
181
third parties
political parties formed as an alternative to the Republican and Democratic parties, also known as minor parties
182
two-party system
a system in which two major parties win all or almost all elections
