Deck 5: Public Opinion

Question 1

The fact that Americans strongly support the idea that governmental interference in individuals' lives and property should be kept to a minimum illustrates their commitment to:

A) anarchy
B) democracy
C) liberty
D) equality
E) socialism

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Based on recent polling data,what percentage of Americans is worried about government monitoring of personal information?

A) 20 percent
B) 33 percent
C) 56 percent
D) 77 percent
E) 89 percent

Answer 2

C

Question 3

The process by which underlying political values are formed is known as:

A) political socialization
B) ideological education
C) brainwashing
D) value enhancing
E) attitudinal evolution

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Which of the following statements about the political opinions of Democrats and Republicans in the public is most accurate?

A) Differences between the political opinions of Democrats and Republicans on a wide variety of policy questions are smaller today than during any other period in the last forty years.
B) Differences between the political opinions of Democrats and Republicans on a wide variety of policy questions are greater today than during any other period in the last forty years.
C) The differences between the political opinions of Democrats and Republicans have always been the same throughout American history and have not become more intense over the last forty years.
D) Republicans and Democrats have similar opinions on all political issues with the exception of national security-where Democrats are more "hawkish" than Republicans.
E) The political opinions of Democrats and Republicans in the public are unaffected by the opinions of party leaders.

Question 5

The term gender gap refers to:

A) differences in political opinions between men and women
B) differences in education and income levels for men and women
C) differing levels of political participation between the genders
D) differences in fundamental political values held by men and women
E) differences in the amount of attention elected officials give to men and women in their campaign speeches

Question 6

The various attitudes that citizens possess toward political issues,events,and people are called:

A) public opinions
B) political values
C) public ideologies
D) political propaganda
E) cultural philosophies

Question 7

Which of the following terms describe America's fundamental political values?

A) liberal and conservative
B) Republican and Democrat
C) internationalist and isolationist
D) independent and moderate
E) liberty, equality, and democracy

Question 8

The set of complex beliefs and values that,as a whole,form a general philosophy about the government is called:

A) public opinion
B) political ideology
C) political socialization
D) political efficacy
E) political sophistication

Question 9

The belief that government is a wasteful and dangerous institution and should be limited to as few activities as possible is an example of a political:

A) culture
B) value
C) ideology
D) truism
E) interest

Question 10

Which of the following statements about agencies of socialization is incorrect?

A) Family, membership in social groups, and education are all important agencies of socialization.
B) People's preference for a political party is primarily acquired through their family.
C) An individual's religion has no impact on their political views.
D) Attending college makes people more likely to participate in politics.
E) Both involuntary and voluntary social groups have an impact on their members' political views.

Question 11

The controversial nature of affirmative action reveals that:

A) many Americans do not value equality
B) different policy preferences can be based on different practical interpretations of the same principle
C) Americans are forever separated by racial differences
D) Americans are very politically active
E) the policy is at odds with fundamental American values

Question 12

The difference between a political value and a political attitude is that:

A) values are conservative, while attitudes are liberal
B) values are liberal, while attitudes are conservative
C) values are held for a short time, while attitudes are held for a long time
D) values are basic principles, while attitudes are specific preferences
E) values are specific preferences, while attitudes are basic principles

Question 13

Which of following phenomena is NOT an illustration of the gender gap?

A) More women than men vote for Democrats.
B) More women than men tend to favor government measures to protect the environment.
C) Men are more likely to join political parties and other social organizations.
D) Men are more militaristic on issues of war and peace than women.
E) Men are less supportive of government social and health care programs than women.

Question 14

People's political party preferences are primarily acquired through the influence of:

A) their families
B) the region of the country they inhabit
C) their education
D) the media they consume
E) their occupation

Question 15

What is one of the main differences between those who have gone to college and those who have not?

A) Those with a college education are less likely to believe that women and men should have equal roles.
B) Those with a college education are more likely to believe that abortion should never be allowed.
C) There is a higher level of political participation among those with a college education.
D) There is a lower level of political participation among those with a college education.
E) Those with a college education are more likely to believe that the United States should not concern itself with other nations' problems.

Question 16

A liberal would most likely support:

A) an expansion in governmental social services
B) an increase in the federal military budget
C) prayer in the public schools
D) a ban on abortions
E) a reduction in foreign aid for poor countries

Question 17

A political ideology is best defined as:

A) the specific preferences individuals contemplate while discussing an issue
B) the basic principles that shape particular attitudes
C) a cohesive set of beliefs that form a general philosophy about the government
D) the concrete interests that people try to defend through public policy
E) the various attitudes that citizens possess toward political issues, events, and people

Question 18

Which of the following statements best describes perceptions of racism among blacks and whites?

A) Blacks are more likely than whites to believe that racism is very common in the United States today.
B) Whites are more likely than blacks to believe that racism is very common in the United States today.
C) Large majorities of both blacks and whites believe there is no racism in the United States today.
D) Large majorities of both blacks and whites believe racism is very common in the United States today.
E) Large majorities of both blacks and whites have no opinion on whether racism is common in the United States today.

Question 19

Which of the following statements about political opinions is NOT true?

A) Race, income, and education cause important differences in opinion.
B) The poor are generally more supportive of economic and social programs than the wealthy.
C) The poor are generally less supportive of economic and social programs than the wealthy.
D) Whites and blacks have differing views on racism.
E) Women are more opposed to military intervention than men.

Question 20

The term public opinion is used to describe:

A) the president's collected speeches and writings during his term in office
B) the analysis of events broadcasted by reporters during the evening news
C) beliefs and attitudes toward different issues, events, and people
D) the U.S. Supreme Court's decisions
E) political debates that take place between citizens in public settings

Question 21

Which of the following statements about the marketplace of ideas is true?

A) The English created the marketplace of ideas in the seventeenth century.
B) Private groups and the news media play important roles in shaping opinions in the marketplace of ideas.
C) Exposure to the marketplace of ideas rarely leads people to change their minds about political issues.
D) Only individuals, not groups or organizations, are allowed to promote ideas in the marketplace of ideas.
E) Government officials are legally prohibited from promoting ideas in the marketplace of ideas.

Question 22

______ is the core political value most highly prized by American conservatives.

A) Democracy
B) Liberty
C) Equality
D) Family
E) Justice

Question 23

The small group selected by pollsters to represent the entire population is called the:

A) validity quotient
B) reliability quotient
C) sample
D) quota
E) hypothesis

Question 24

Why does the marketplace of ideas often have a moderating effect on people's opinions?

A) Given constant exposure to other people's ideas, it is almost impossible for one not to modify one's own viewpoints.
B) Moderate ideas usually have the best financial backing, and the greatest publicity.
C) The most popular ideas are usually the most moderate ones.
D) Those who shop in the marketplace of ideas typically start with moderate viewpoints.
E) Moderate ideas are always closest to the truth and, therefore, are most successful in the marketplace of ideas.

Question 25

In order to draw a simple random sample of Americans,a researcher:

A) needs to interview at least 5,000 people
B) needs to interview less than 1,000 people
C) needs to interview at least 1,000 people
D) needs a complete list of all the people in the United States
E) needs only a random number generator

Question 26

Which of the following statements about the ideological preferences of Americans is FALSE?

A) More Americans have identified themselves as conservatives than as liberals over the last twenty years.
B) The percentage of Americans identifying themselves as liberals has increased since the mid-1990s.
C) More Americans have identified themselves as moderates than as liberals over the last twenty years.
D) Prior to 2000, there were almost no Americans who identified themselves as liberal.
E) More Americans have identified themselves as liberals or conservatives than as moderates over the last twenty years.

Question 27

Which of the following statements about governmental public relations efforts is NOT true?

A) Due to its size and power, the government is always successful at influencing public opinion.
B) Despite its size and power, the government has trouble influencing public opinion because the news media frequently disputes its claims.
C) Despite its size and power, the government has trouble influencing public opinion because interest groups frequently dispute its claims.
D) Despite its size and power, the government has trouble influencing public opinion because there are often conflicts within the government about what should be done.
E) Modern presidents focus a great deal of attention on shaping public opinion to boost support for their policy agendas.

Question 28

The fact that many middle-class and lower-middle-class citizens who did not stand to benefit from President Bush's tax cuts seemed to favor them is an example of:

A) the importance of political knowledge
B) the importance of self-interest
C) the importance of political efficacy
D) the "spiral of silence"
E) bandwagon effects

Question 29

If a person does not know anything about a proposed piece of legislation but supports it because Barack Obama endorsed it,we would say the person:

A) fell prey to the illusion of saliency
B) was an example of the bandwagon effect
C) committed a sampling error
D) was an example of the bellwether effect
E) reached their decision through the use of an informational shortcut

Question 30

The fact that Democratic Party leaders have become more liberal and Republican Party leaders more conservative is important because:

A) it has made the gender gap much smaller
B) it has significantly decreased the illusion of saliency in polling
C) it has significantly increased the illusion of saliency in polling
D) partisans in the public tend to rely on party leaders for cues on the appropriate positions to take on major political issues
E) partisans in the public no longer rely on party leaders for cues on the appropriate positions to take on major political issues

Question 31

Which of the following was NOT part of the Bush administration's effort to maintain support for its war on terror?

A) presidential speeches
B) press conferences
C) press releases
D) media appearances by administration officials
E) donations to academic institutions

Question 32

Recent studies by political scientists have shown that:

A) Americans' knowledge of politics is generally high
B) the average American exhibits little knowledge about political institutions, processes, or leaders
C) there is little connection between possessing political knowledge and being an effective citizen
D) younger people know much more about politics than older people
E) most Americans never make political decisions "on the cheap" by making use of shortcuts

Question 33

Which of the following statements about the forces that shape public opinion is NOT true?

A) All governments try to influence, manipulate, or manage their citizens' beliefs.
B) Groups with public or private institutional support are more successful in marketing their ideas than groups who do not have such support.
C) The news media are not simply neutral messengers for the ideas developed by others.
D) Presidents rarely attempt to influence public support for the policies they are promoting.
E) The ways in which the news media frames or interprets events can have a major impact on how the public responds to these events.

Question 34

The concept of a marketplace of ideas refers to:

A) important changes in copyright and patent laws that have restricted Americans' access to free information
B) the competition between varying opinions and ideas that are aired in public forums
C) the use of opinion pollsters who market a politician's speeches, ideas, and votes
D) the explosion of information brought on by the Internet and other advances in electronic communication
E) the elimination of government regulations on broadcast media such as radio and television

Question 35

Opposition to legalized abortion is a position most likely supported by ______,while support for legalized abortion is a position most likely supported by ______.

A) liberals; conservatives
B) conservatives; liberals
C) libertarians; conservatives
D) liberals; libertarians
E) libertarians; liberals

Question 36

One who supports abortion rights and opposes state involvement with religious institutions would be best described as a(n):

A) liberal
B) conservative
C) socialist
D) internationalist
E) isolationist

Question 37

Which of the following is NOT true?

A) Knowledge of and interest in politics increases one's sense of political efficacy.
B) Knowledgeable citizens are better able to recognize their political interests and act consistently on behalf of them.
C) People with higher education, income, and occupational status are more likely to be both familiar with and active in politics.
D) People who are members of social or political organizations are more likely to be both familiar with and active in politics.
E) Political elites cannot influence people's ideas and beliefs.

Question 38

Liberalism and conservatism are good examples of:

A) public opinions
B) political attitudes
C) political ideologies
D) political interests
E) political preferences

Question 39

Conservatives are more likely than liberals to support:

A) government regulation of business
B) abortion rights
C) school prayer
D) the expansion of government activity
E) gay rights

Question 40

Which of the following best characterizes the Clinton White House's attempts to influence public opinion?

A) The Clinton White House used techniques similar to those used in election campaigns to bolster popular enthusiasm for White House initiatives.
B) The Clinton White House made no attempts to influence public support for White House initiatives.
C) Clinton refused to employ any political consultants or pollsters in his administration.
D) The Clinton White House almost never communicated with representatives from the departments of the executive branch about how to coordinate the president's public relations efforts.
E) Despite the advice of some of his supporters, Clinton refused to establish a political "war room" to plan his administration's public relations efforts.

Question 41

The practice of push polling involves:

A) polling services like Harris and Gallup attempting to sell their polling data to major news media organizations at higher prices during election seasons
B) the system of calling people during dinner and evening hours to ensure that as many people as possible will be home
C) the procedure of asking loaded questions in order to subtly shape the respondent's opinion
D) the effect of polls having to push politicians into adopting policy proposals they would not otherwise adopt
E) the system of repeatedly calling people in the sampling frame until they respond to the survey

Question 42

Calling randomly selected phone numbers is a good way for pollsters to reduce sampling errors.

Question 43

In 1936,pollsters at the Literary Digest were guilty of ______ when they mistakenly predicted a presidential victory for Alf Landon over Franklin Roosevelt by polling people whose names came from the telephone book and automobile registration records.

A) probability sampling
B) illusion of salience
C) random dialing
D) selection bias
E) push polling

Question 44

Pollsters use random digit dialing to gather national samples for surveys because:

A) Sampling errors are typically too low when other techniques are used
B) Sampling errors are typically too high when other techniques are used
C) There is no complete list of all Americans that can be used to identify the population
D) It is the only method that allows for push polling
E) It is the only method that generates high levels of measurement error

Question 45

Research into public opinion and public policy has shown that:

A) every citizen has an equally strong influence over politics and public policy decisions
B) more-affluent and more-educated citizens have a disproportionate influence over politics and public-policy decisions
C) less-affluent and less-educated citizens have a disproportionate influence over politics and public policy decisions
D) nonvoters have a disproportionate influence over politics and public policy decisions
E) the opinions of members of the public have no influence whatsoever over politics and public policy decisions

Question 46

A frequent cause of measurement error in polls is due to:

A) unresponsiveness
B) poorly worded questions
C) push polling
D) the increased use of cell phones
E) sampling error

Question 47

If I decide to support a candidate because I see that he or she is the front-runner in a poll,I become an example of:

A) the bellwether effect
B) the illusion of saliency
C) the bandwagon effect
D) the "bounce" effect
E) push polling

Question 48

The fact that survey respondents over-report voting in elections and the frequency of their church attendance is an example of:

A) the Hawthorne effect
B) the coattail effect
C) the social desirability effect
D) the bandwagon effect
E) the median voter theorem

Question 49

Levels of education have not been shown to affect one's political opinions.

Question 50

Families,social groups,and schools are important institutions where people are politically socialized.

Question 51

Political ideologies do not always provide us with a clear opinion on particular policies.

Question 52

During the formation of an individual's initial political orientation,the influence of family counts for very little.

Question 53

Which of the following statements about the relationship between public opinion and government policy is most accurate?

A) Public opinion always shifts in opposition to government policy once the policy has been implemented.
B) Public opinion always shifts in favor of government policy once the policy has been implemented.
C) Shifts in public opinion almost never lead to changes in government policy.
D) Shifts in public opinion always lead to changes in government policy.
E) Although there is no one-to-one correlation between public opinion and government policy, shifts in public opinion on particular issues frequently lead to changes in government policy.

Question 54

The United States is a nation without political ideologies.

Question 55

Most Americans are unified in their belief in the principles of liberty,equality,and democracy.

Question 56

In public opinion surveys,a sample of the total population:

A) must be at least 50 percent of the targeted population
B) need be only 25 percent of the targeted population
C) need be only 10 percent of the targeted population
D) must be representative in that the views of those in the sample must accurately and proportionately reflect the views of the whole population
E) must be based on all the registered voters in the targeted population

Question 57

Differences in opinion can be influenced by one's gender.

Question 58

When George W.Bush supporters called conservative white voters during the 2000 South Carolina Republican primary to ask if they would be more or less likely to vote for John McCain if they knew that he had fathered an illegitimate black child,it was an example of:

A) a push poll
B) a bandwagon poll
C) a saliency illusion
D) a selection bias
E) a nonresponse bias

Question 59

One recent survey showed that two-thirds of Americans believe the government is spending "too little" money on "assistance for the poor." Yet,another survey conducted at the same time found that only one-tenth of Americans believe that the government is spending "too little" on "welfare." This example shows that:

A) selection bias must always be considered when interpreting the results from a poll
B) small differences in the wording of a question can lead to very different response patterns
C) the findings from some polling agencies should not be trusted
D) polling can never be used to understand public opinion on any issue
E) the results from push polls are often inconsistent

Question 60

The social desirability effect refers to:

A) the bias in surveys that comes from the repeated failure of pollsters to interview respondents who come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds
B) the strong desire that people have to express their opinions to survey researchers
C) the fact that respondents report what they expect the interviewer wishes to hear or whatever they think is socially acceptable rather than what they actually believe or know to be true
D) the impression conveyed by polls that something is important to the public when actually it is not
E) the tendency for people to shift their electoral support to the candidate whom public opinion polls report as the front-runner

Question 61

David Hume said that government rests on public opinion alone.Explain the relationship between government and opinion.How do governmental actors try to shape opinion? What is the proper relationship between public opinion and policy?

Question 62

What is the difference between a value and an ideology? Describe some of the characteristics and beliefs that define both liberalism and conservatism in contemporary American politics.What are the main differences between these two ideologies in terms of their emphasis on core American values? What are their points of agreement?

Question 63

Cell phones and caller ID have dramatically reduced the problem of selection bias in public opinion surveys.

Question 64

Push polls are scientific surveys designed to assess the public's support for a policy or candidate by using a probability sample.

Question 65

How are political views formed? Describe some of the key processes and factors through which individuals become politically socialized.How do external institutions such as families and groups,as well as personal experiences,come to shape individual opinions?

Question 66

Describe how public opinion is measured.What is sampling and what is it meant to accomplish? Describe some of the problems and biases of polling,such as push polling and question wording.How do the social desirability effect and the bandwagon effect each distort the measurement of opinion?

Question 67

A survey of 1,000 people can be effective for measuring the opinions of all Americans.