Public Opinion

Question 1

How do we know what public opinion is?

Answer 1

Public opinion polls and surveys

Question 2

Why is public opinion important to a democracy?

Answer 2

Elected officials are influenced by preferences of the public. Shifts in public opinion generally lead to changes in public policy, dynamic relationship, policy responding to opinion and opinions shifting based on policies

Question 3

Where do we get our political beliefs?

Answer 3

Biggest factor is family, other factors include education , race, ethnicity, gender, religion, economic class, generation, region, and party affiliation

Question 4

How can public opinion best be measured accurately?

Answer 4

1. Making sure samples are random
2. Making sure the sample is representative of the US population- about 1000 American citizens needed to infer about the general American population

Question 5

Political socialization

Answer 5

Intergration of individuals into the political culture, learning the underlying beliefs and values on which the political system is based

Question 6

Social desirability bias

Answer 6

When respondents in a survey answer questions in a way that will be viewed favorably by others, can lead to overreporting good/socially acceptable behaviors and underreport socially undesirable answers

Question 7

Bandwagon effect

Answer 7

Shift in electoral support to the candidate whom public opinion polls report as the front-runner