Public Opinion and Political Socialization Flashcards
What is divided opinion?
Public opinion that is polarized between two quite different opinions
What is a consensus opinion?
General agreement among the citizenry on an issue
What is political socialization?
The process by which people acquire political beliefs and values
What is the most important early source of political socialization?
Family
What is agenda setting?
Determining which public policy questions will be debated or considered
What is a generational effect?
A long lasting effect of the events of a particular time on the political opinions of those who came of political age at that time
What is the gender gap?
- The difference between the percentage of women who vote for a particular candidate and the percentage of men who vote for the candidate.
- Men tend to vote republican
- Women tend to vote democratic
How do demographic factors effect elections?
They’re strongly correlated with political party preferences and political ideologies
What is an opinion leader?
One who is able to influence the opinions of others because of position, expertise, or personality
How does the media effect public opinion?
The media controls what people see, and therefore they can somewhat control what they think about
What is political trust?
The degree to which individuals express trust in the government and political institutions, usually measured through a specific series of survey questions
Which historic events led to widespread cynicism about the government?
The Vietnam War, and the Watergate Scandal
How do most new voters self identify?
Democratic
In what way can public opinion lead to ineffective government?
If politicians are always trying to please the public then things may not get done. Politicians need to be willing to made the public mad if it’s what is needed for the good of the country
