EXAM 2 Flashcards
political socialization
the lifelong process through which individuals aquire political beliefs, values, and attitudes
agents of socialization
family, schools, peers, media, and social instiutions that influence political values
political ideology
a set of beliefs about politics and the role of government
liberalism
emphasizes social equality, government intervention in the economy, and expanded social programs
conservatism
advocates for limited government, personal responsibility, and traditional social values
libertarianism
favors individual freedom, limited government in both social and economic matters
how polling is done
methods include random sampling, survey design, and question phrasing to guage public opinion
polling errors
errors can stem from sampling bias, question wording, and response inaccuracies
amendments impacting voting rights
15, 19, 24, 26
15th amendment
prohibited voting discrimination based on race
19th amendment
granted women the right to vote
24th amendment
outlawed poll taxes in federal elections
26th amendment
lowered the voting age to 18
voting requirements
criteria like citizenship, residency, and age requirements
voting demographics
examines how age, gender, income, and race impact voting behavior
comparing voting in the u.s and europe
key differences include voter turnout rates, election frequency, and voting laws
historical voting barriers
literacy tests and poll taxes [ previously used to disenfranchise certain groups]
political parties
organizations that aim to influence government by getting members elected to office
history of political parties
evolution from the federalists and anti federalists to modern republicans and democrats
primary elections
elections within a party to select a candidate for the general election
third parties
minor parties that can influence major party platforms and election outcomes
single member districts
electoral system where one representative is chosen per district, favoring a two-party system
proportional representation
electoral system where parties gain seats based on the percentage of votes received
party organization
structure of national, state, and local party organizations and their roles in elections
cost of campaigns
includes campaign financing, fundrasing, and the impact of money on politics
interest groups
organizations that influence government policy without seeking direct election
iron triangle
relationship between congress, government agencies, and interest groups
inside lobbying
directly influencing policymakers through meetingd and information sharing
outside lobbying
mobilizing public opinion and grassroots efforts to influence policymakers
agency capture
when regulatory agencies prioritize the interests of the groups they regulate over the public
political action committees (PACs)
organizations that raise money to influence elections
citizens united v. FEC
supreme court ruling allowing unlimited corporate and union spending in elections
free rider problem
when individuals benefit from an interest groups efforts without contributing
incentives for interest group membership
includes material, purposive, and solitary incentives
amicus curiae
“friend of the court” breifs submitted to provide additional perspectives in judicial cases
federal communications commission (FCC)
regulates broadcasting and enforces media laws
high choice vs. low choice media
high choice media offers diverse content options, while low choice limits exposure
media coverage
how the media reports on political events, influencing public perception
equal-time rule
requires equal airtime for political candidates on broadcast media
yellow journalism
sensationalized news to attract readers, common in the late 19th century
fairness doctrine
former FCC policy requiring balanced covrage on controversial issues
media functions
signaler functions
common carrier functions
watchdog function
partisan function
signalar function
alerts the public to important issues
common carrier function
provides a communication channel for government to reach the public
watchdog function
monitors government actions and exposes wrongdoing
partisan function
media outlets that openly promote specific politcal perspectives
