Unit 10: Opinion

Question 1

Public Opinion

Answer 1

What the public thinks about a particular issue at a point in time.
Measured by public opinion polls: surveys with samples of citizens used to estimate the feelings of the entire population.

Question 2

Political Socialization

Answer 2

The process by which individuals acquire political beliefs and values.

Question 3

Political Ideology

Answer 3

A person’s coherent set of beliefs and values about the purposes, methods, and scope of government.

Question 4

Conservative

Answer 4

Smaller government, “traditional” values; most Republicans.

Question 5

Liberal

Answer 5

Bigger government, “non-traditional” values; most Democrats.

Question 6

Libertarian

Answer 6

Smaller government, “non-traditional” values

Question 7

Populist

Answer 7

Bigger government, “traditional” values

Question 8

Factors that are the main influences on political socialization:

Answer 8

1) Family: childhood influences
2) School/Peers: effect on older children comparable to the family’s.
3) the mass media
4) Religion
5) Race & ethnicity
6) Gender: women are more strongly in favor of issues like education & the environment, while men are more strongly in favor of issues like capital punishment and military intervention.
7) Age: People tend to grow more conservative (and Republican) as they get older.
8) Region: South is more conservative (and Republican), while West Coast and Northeast are more liberal (and Democrat).
9) Events: dramatic events (like 9/11 and the Vietnam War) can shape political beliefs for a lifetime.

Question 9

Forming Public Opinion

Answer 9

Once the process of political socialization is complete, mature adults are subject to a narrower range of significant influences:
1) How much benefit they perceive in a policy, morally or financially
2) Their political knowledge (or lack thereof)
3) The influence of important political leaders (like the President)

Question 10

Polling Public Opinion

Answer 10

A) The success of polls depends on their precepts:
1) Content & phrasing of poll questions can skew results.
2) Selecting the sample: nonstratified or stratified
3) Polling methods (by phone or in person) can also affect the poll results.

Question 11

Nonstratified Poll

Answer 11

With few or no conditions on participants–with questionable results

Question 12

Stratified Poll

Answer 12

A stronger effort made to get a representative sample

Question 13

Push Poll

Answer 13

Loaded questions aimed at finding which of a candidate’s personal characteristics make people more or less likely to vote for him

Question 14

Tracking Poll

Answer 14

Daily polls which chart short-term changes in voter support.

Question 15

Exit Poll

Answer 15

Surveys of people who have just voted.

Question 16

Shortcomings of polls

Answer 16

1) Statistical flaws (like poor sampling) can produce inaccurate results.
2) Even the best polls have a margin of error, an unavoidable range of uncertainty (“plus or minus 3%”).
3) Providing limited choices can also yield inaccurate results.
4) People can respond to polls with no real knowledge of the issues.
5) Polls generally cannot/do not measure how strongly held opinions are.

Question 17

Effects of Public Opinion

Answer 17

A) Politicians (to varying degrees) are poll-driven in their decision- and policy-making.
B) The “bandwagon effect”: a significant number of voters want to be on the winning side, and throw their support behind whomever the polls show to be ahead in a given race.
C) News media choose what to cover based on polls, and they may focus on public opinion poll numbers rather than issues.

Question 18

The Changing Media Scene

Answer 18

A) Electronic media (TV, Internet) are growing in numbers and influence, while print media (newspapers, magazines) are declining accordingly.
B) As media outlets expanded in numbers and into new types, the audience has fractured, leading to a decline in influence for older media like newspapers & network TV news.

Question 19

Media Coverage of the President

Answer 19

A) The prime focus of media coverage–most of it negative.
B) Presidents periodically face off with journalists in press conferences, but leave this job on a day to day basis to the White House Press Secretary.

Question 20

Media Coverage of Congress

Answer 20

C) Media focus heavily on the leadership, leaving most members in relative obscurity.
D) Since Congress lacks the unity of the Presidency, it has a much tougher time getting its messages out.
E) Special investigative commissions (like the Watergate hearings) draw the greatest media focus on Congress.

Question 21

Media Coverage of the Federal Courts

Answer 21

F) Receive the least media coverage due to the fact cameras are banned from all court proceedings, and are likely to remain so.

Question 22

Changing Media Coverage

Answer 22

A) The Watergate era spawned generations of journalists who are all digging for political scandals that will make them rich & famous.
B) The post-Watergate era gave rise to journalists with as much interest in advocating certain policies in their stories as they have in reporting the news.
C) In the early 1970s, “new journalism” and “gonzo journalism” made political candidates’ personal lives and character, as well as the reporters’ own opinions, part of the news.
D) N.Y. Times v. Sullivan (1964): The Supreme Court sets a higher standard of proof to win a libel case if the plaintiff is a public official or voluntarily seeks publicity (like celebrities).
E) Media are often politically biased in its coverage–only 6% of journalists describe themselves as political conservatives. Other media outlets (like talk radio) are dominated by conservative commentators.
F) Journalists often more favorably cover politicians they personally like, and are biased against less-likeable personages.

Question 23

The Media’s Influence on the Public

Answer 23

A) They can sway people who are uncommitted on particular issues.
B) They can influence people on issues far removed from personal experiences.
C) They can influence what people think about (more so than how), such as a president’s policy agenda.

Question 24

Policy Agenda

Answer 24

A set of issues, problems, or subjects viewed as important by government decision-makers

Question 25

Public Perception of the Media

Answer 25

A) Most people believe in the media’s role as watchdog over the political system.
B) Even more people feel the media are biased, sensational, and untrustworthy.

Question 26

How Politicians & the Media Use Each Other

Answer 26

A) The media have made political campaign coverage more about the candidates’ personality, background, & image and less about issues or political parties.
B) Because of this, candidate-centered events like talk show appearances, debates, name polls (“Biden or Trump?”), and conventions (“political info-mercials”) have grown in prominence and importance.
C) Media have also increased coverage of candidates’ personal scandals & gaffes.

Question 27

Different ways candidates use the media:

Answer 27

1) campaign commercials (increasingly negative: “mudslinging”)
2) public appearances, often choreographed to achieve a desired result and attract maximum press attention.
3) leaking information
4) image building (positive ads, talk shows, debates focusing on personality)
5) disseminating information through the internet
6) sound bites (short, TV-friendly quotes)
7) seeking campaign contributions

Question 28

Government Regulation of the Media

Answer 28

A) Under Federal law, broadcast airwaves are public property, so the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) can control who can own TV & radio stations as well as regulate the content of their broadcasts.
B) equal time rule: stations must offer equal terms to all candidates when selling political ad time (Debates are not subject to this rule).
C) Print journalism is almost entirely free of government regulation (obscenity and libel are notable exceptions).
D) Despite these freedoms, the government is not always forthcoming with desired information.