Chapter Six Flashcards
Public Opinion
the distribution of the population’s beliefs about politics and policy issues
Demography
the science of population changes
Census
a valuable tool for understanding demographic changes. (Constitution requires one every 10 years)
Melting Pot
the mixing of cultures, ideas, and peoples that has changed the American nation. The U.S. with its history of immigration has often been called this.
Minority Majority
the emergence of non-Caucasian majority, as compared with a white, generally Anglo-Saxon majority
Political Culture
an overall set of values widely shared within a society
Reapportionment
the process of reallocating seats in the House of Representatives every 10 years on the basis of the result of the census
Sample
a relatively small proportion of people who are chosen in a survey so as to be representative of the whole
Random Sampling
the key technique employed by sophisticated survey researchers which operates on the principle that everyone should have an equal probability of being selected for the sample
Random Digit Dialing
a technique used by pollsters to place telephone calls randomly to both listed and unlisted numbers when conducting a survey
Exit Polls
public opinion surveys used by minor media pollsters to predict electoral winners with speed and precision
Political Ideology
a coherent set of beliefs about politics, public policy, and public purpose. It helps give meaning to political events, personalities, and policies.
Gender Gap
a term that refers to the regular pattern by which women are more likely to support democratic canidates. Women tend to be significantly less conservative than men and are more likely to support spending on social services and to oppose higher levels of military spending.
Civil Disobedience
a form of political participation that reflects a concious decision to break a law believed to be immoral and to suffer the consequences.
Salad Bowl
A new term to describe, and celebrate the diversity of the United States without the controversial notion of assimilation found in the term melting pot.
