Public Opinion and The Media

Question 1

Public Opinion

Answer 1

How people react to policies that are made by the government and how they feel about things in general

Question 2

General Public

Answer 2

Americans who care more about the political issues that affect their day-to-day lives and will participate in the majority of issues that apply to them

Question 3

Issue Public

Answer 3

A group that cares about a particular issue and will only participate if policy concerns that issue

Question 4

Saliency

Answer 4

The degree in which it is important to a particular individual or group

Question 5

Intensity

Answer 5

How strongly an individual or group feels about an issue

Question 6

Stability

Answer 6

How often public opinion changes

Question 7

Public Opinion Polls

Answer 7

Frequently and directly measures public opinion

Question 8

Random Sampling

Answer 8

A method that allows a representative cross-section of the public

Question 9

Exit Polls

Answer 9

Held at polling places on Election Day that target districts that collectively represent the voting public and randomly poll voters who leave

Question 10

Sampling Error

Answer 10

Shows how far off the poll results might be

Question 11

Political Socialization

Answer 11

A process in which a person develops their own personal ideas and beliefs about politics

Question 12

Factors of Political Socializaton

Answer 12

Things that can influence the political beliefs of an individual:

• Family
• Location
• School
• Mass Media
• Religious Beliefs
• Educational Level
• Experiences
• Race/Ethnicity

Question 13

Ideology

Answer 13

Coherent set of thoughts and beliefs about politics and government

Question 14

Conservativism

Answer 14

Ideological belief that the government should not have a lot of power and that that power should be in the hands of the people (Oppose federal regulations, and promote state and individual freedoms)

Question 15

Liberalism

Answer 15

Ideological belief that the government should have more power and assist in the promotion of general equality (Promote gender equality, and oppose anything influenced by religion)

Question 16

Moderate/Independent

Answer 16

Those who apply common sense to political issues rather than hold on to an ideological belief

Question 17

News Media

Answer 17

Forms of media ranging from newspapers to social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc…) and can only influence what the person should think about rather than how they should react to a political issue

Question 18

Public Agenda

Answer 18

The media can televise what is important based on what the public is most interested in (Political Leaders see this on various media and can help decide what issues are most important based off of what the people watch)