Unit 2 IDs

Question 0

Political culture

Answer 0

The characteristic and deep-seated beliefs of a particular people about government and politics.

Question 1

Political socialization

Answer 1

The learning process by which people acquire their political opinions, beliefs, and values.

Question 2

Agents of socialization

Answer 2

Those agents, such as the family and media, that have a significant impact on citizen’s political socialization.

Question 3

Public opinion

Answer 3

A collection of shared attitudes of citizens about government, politics, and the making of public policy; these citizens usually express these opinions openly.

Question 4

Straw polls

Answer 4

An early form of polling that asks the same question of a large number of people.

Question 5

Sampling

Answer 5

Using a representative cross-section of the general population chosen at random in the polling process in order to estimate the opinions of the entire population.

Question 6

Random sample

Answer 6

Theoretically based on probability sample, random sampling is based on the idea that each individual in the population has a known probability of being chosen at random for inclusion in a poll.

Question 7

Sampling error

Answer 7

Percentage of possible errors in the polling process; a measure of the accuracy of a public opinion poll.

Question 8

Preparing valid questions

Answer 8

Directions should be clear and questions should be phrased and ordered in a way that does not lead the respondent to a particular answer.

Question 9

Controlling how the poll is taken

Answer 9

Making sure the respondent has some knowledge of the issues addressed in the poll and that the pollsters appearance and tone do not influence the responses.

Question 10

Analyzing and reporting results

Answer 10

Reporting the results of the polls without providing information about how the poll was conducted, sampling errors, or when the poll that was taken can lead to misinformation and error.

Question 11

Political ideology

Answer 11

A consistent set of beliefs about politics and public policy that sets the framework for evaluating government and public policy.

Question 12

Radical

Answer 12

Term for a person who favors rapid, fundamental change in existing social, economic, or political order. They may be willing to resort to extreme means, even violence or revolution to accomplish such change.

Question 13

Liberal

Answer 13

The term for a person who supports active government in promoting individual welfare and supporting civil rights, and accepts peaceful political and social change within the existing political system.

Question 14

Moderate

Answer 14

Political ideology that falls between liberal and conservative and which may include some of both; usually thought of as tolerant of others’ political opinions and not likely to hold extreme views on issues.

Question 15

Conservative

Answer 15

Promotes a limited governmental role in helping individuals economically, supports traditional values and lifestyles, favors a more active role for government in promoting national security, and approaches change cautiously.

Question 16

Reactionary

Answer 16

Advocates a return to previous states of affairs, often a social order or a government that existed earlier in history; they are willing to go to extremes to achieve their goals.

Question 17

Economic liberal

Answer 17

Those who believe government should do more to assist people who have difficulty meeting their economic needs on their own.

Question 18

Economic conservatives

Answer 18

Those who believe government tries to do too many things that should be left to private interests and economic markets.

Question 19

Social liberals

Answer 19

Those who believe it is not government’s role to buttress traditional values at the expense of unconventional or new values.

Question 20

Social conservatives

Answer 20

Those who believe the government power should be used to uphold traditional values.

Question 21

Libertarians

Answer 21

Those who believe government tries to do too many things that should be left to firms and markets; they oppose government as an instrument for upholding traditional values.
Economic conservative and a Social liberal

Question 22

Populists

Answer 22

Those who believe government should do more to assist people who have difficulty meeting their own economic needs and who look to the government to uphold traditional values.
Economic liberal and a social conservative.

Question 23

Incumbent

Answer 23

A person who is currently holding office.

Question 24

Suffrage

Answer 24

The right to vote

Question 25

Electorate

Answer 25

People qualified to vote

Question 26

Voter turnout

Answer 26

The proportion of persons of voting age who actually vote in a given election.

Question 27

Direct primary

Answer 27

Party members vote to nominate their candidate for the general election.

Question 28

Recall

Answer 28

A special election initiated by petition to allow citizens to remove an official from office before a term expires.

Question 29

Referendum

Answer 29

Procedure whereby the state submits legislation to its voters for approval, allowing citizens to vote directly on issues called propositions.

Question 30

Initiative

Answer 30

Allows voters to petition to propose issues to be decided and submitted for votes by qualified voters.

Question 31

Low voter turnout reasons

Answer 31

Expansion of the electorate, failure of political parties to mobilize voters, no perceived difference between the candidates or parties, mistrust of government, apathy, satisfaction with the way things are, lack of political efficacy, mobility of electorate, and the registration process.

Question 32

Factors affecting voting

Answer 32

Education, occupation and income, age, race, gender, religion, marital status, union membership, community membership, party identification, and geography.

Question 33

Primary elections

Answer 33

Nominating elections in which voters choose the candidates from each party who will run for office in the general election.

Question 34

Closed primary

Answer 34

Only voters who are registered in the party may vote to choose the candidate; separate primaries are held by each party.

Question 35

Open primary

Answer 35

Voters may vote to choose the candidates of either party, whether or not they belong to that party or not; voters make the decision of which party to support in the voting booth.

Question 36

Blanket primary

Answer 36

Voters may vote for candidates of either party, choosing a republican for one office and a democrat for another; used only in Alaska and Washington.

Question 37

Runoff primary

Answer 37

When no candidate from a party receives a majority of the votes, the top two candidates face each other in a runoff election.

Question 38

General elections

Answer 38

Voters choose office holders from among all the candidates nominated by political parties or running as independents.

Question 39

Special elections

Answer 39

Elections held whenever an issue must be decided by voters before a primary or general elections are held.

Question 40

Coattail effect

Answer 40

Weaker or lesser-known candidates from the president’s party profit from the president’s popularity, thus winning votes.

Question 41

Caucus

Answer 41

Locally held meetings in a state to select delegates who, in turn, will nominate candidates to political offices.

Question 42

Presidential preference primary

Answer 42

Voters select delegates to vote in the presidential nominating convention.

Question 43

Electoral college

Answer 43

Representatives from each state who formally cast ballots for the President and Vice Presidents.

Question 44

Deviating elections

Answer 44

Occurs when the minority party is able to win with the support of majority party members, independents, and new voters.

Question 45

Realigning elections

Answer 45

Occur when the minority party wins by building a new coalition of voters that continues over successive elections.

Question 46

Dealigning elections

Answer 46

Occurs when party loyalty becomes less important to voters, as may be seen with the independents and split-ticket voting.

Question 47

Hard money

Answer 47

Campaign funds given directly to candidates to spend as they choose.

Question 48

Soft money

Answer 48

Campaign contributions that are not subject to legal limits and are given to parties rather than directly to the candidates.