Deck 5: Public Opinion

Question 1

Which of the following is true of trust in government?

A) People have more trust in government today than in the 1960s.
B) Republicans have more trust in government than Democrats.
C) Very low trust in government is a reality in contemporary politics.
D) Very high trust in government is a reality in contemporary politics.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

The difference between a political value and a political attitude is that values are

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

Answer 2

D

Question 3

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

A) More Americans have identified themselves as liberals than as conservatives over the last 20 years.
B) The percentage of Americans identifying themselves as liberals has increased significantly since the 1990s.
C) More Americans have identified themselves as liberals than as moderates over the last 20 years.
D) The percentage of Americans who consider themselves moderates, liberals, or conservatives has remained relatively constant for the past 15 years.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Conservatives are more likely than liberals to support

A) government regulation of business.
B) abortion rights.
C) school prayer.
D) the expansion of government programs, such as Medicaid.

Question 5

Libertarianism is a political ideology that

A) argues that governments are inherently repressive and should be abolished entirely.
B) argues that a single ruler should have total control over every aspect of people's lives.
C) argues for the need to place strict limitations on voting rights and civil liberties.
D) emphasizes freedom and voluntary association with small government.

Question 6

In international affairs, conservatism has come to mean

A) support for military intervention and the maintenance of American military power.
B) opposition to military intervention and the ramping down of American military power.
C) opposition to the United States' membership in the United Nations.
D) opposition to the continued existence of the European Union.

Question 7

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

A) culture.
B) value.
C) ideology.
D) interest.

Question 8

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 broadcast by reporters during the evening news.
C) beliefs and attitudes toward different issues, events, and people.
D) the U.S. Supreme Court's decisions.

Question 9

The process by which political values are formed is known as

A) political socialization.
B) ideological education.
C) brainwashing.
D) value enhancing.

Question 10

A political ideology is best defined as

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

Question 11

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) conservatives; libertarians

Question 12

________ is one of the most important mechanisms for promoting equality of opportunity.

A) Public education
B) Affirmative action
C) Transportation
D) Commerce

Question 13

Which of the following statements about political opinions is correct?

A) Race, income, and education are not factors that lead to differences in opinion.
B) The poor are generally more supportive of economic and social programs than the wealthy.
C) Whites and blacks generally have the same views on racism.
D) Men are more opposed to military intervention than women.

Question 14

________ generally support abortion rights and oppose state involvement with religious institutions.

A) Liberals
B) Conservatives
C) Socialists
D) Internationalists

Question 15

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 reduction in foreign aid for poor countries.

Question 16

________ is the most important core value of liberalism.

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

Question 17

The fact that Americans strongly support minimal governmental interference with individuals' lives and property illustrates their commitment to

A) anarchy.
B) democracy.
C) liberty.
D) socialism.

Question 18

Liberalism and conservatism are examples of

A) public opinions.
B) political attitudes.
C) political ideologies.
D) political preferences.

Question 19

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

A) liberal and conservative
B) internationalist and isolationist
C) independent and moderate
D) liberty, equality of opportunity, and democracy

Question 20

________ is the core political value most highly prioritized by American conservatives.

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

Question 21

A person's political party preferences are primarily acquired through the influence of

A) the person's family.
B) the region of the country the person inhabits.
C) the person's education.
D) the media.

Question 22

Which of the following did the George W. Bush administration use to maintain support for the war on terror?

A) presidential speeches
B) press conferences
C) both a and b
D) media appearances by celebrities

Question 23

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.

Question 24

Which of the following statements is true about the news media?

A) The mass media are neutral messengers for ideas.
B) The mass media have an enormous impact on public opinion.
C) National journalists tend to avoid investigating political scandals.
D) Journalists tend to provide negative coverage of a president during a crisis.

Question 25

Which of the following statements about public opinion in America is true?

A) The average American's political knowledge is fairly high.
B) Citizens with low levels of knowledge are generally better able to evaluate new information and determine its relevancy to their beliefs.
C) Citizens with high levels of knowledge are generally better able to evaluate new information to determine its relevancy to their beliefs.
D) Almost 90 percent of Americans can name their U.S. senators.

Question 26

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

A) importance of political knowledge.
B) importance of self-interest.
C) importance of political efficacy.
D) "spiral of silence."

Question 27

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.

Question 28

Which of the following statements is true about the forces that shape public opinion?

A) Groups with public or private institutional support are less successful in marketing their ideas than groups who do not have such support.
B) The news media are neutral messengers for the ideas developed by others.
C) Presidents often attempt to influence public support for the policies they are promoting.
D) The ways in which the news media frames or interprets events have little influence on how the public responds to these events.

Question 29

Who exposed the Watergate scandal?

A) journalists at the Washington Post
B) journalists at the Boston Globe
C) journalists at the Indianapolis Star
D) journalists at the Los Angeles Times

Question 30

Which of the following statements about public opinion in America is most accurate?

A) Political knowledge is fairly high in America.
B) Citizens with low levels of knowledge are generally better able to evaluate new information and determine its relevancy to their beliefs.
C) Citizens with high levels of knowledge are generally better able to evaluate new information to determine its relevancy to their beliefs.
D) Politically knowledgeable citizens are more likely to consider themselves independent and not have a liberal or conservative ideology.

Question 31

Which U.S. president promoted his policy agenda to the American people through "fireside chats"?

A) Warren Harding
B) Franklin D. Roosevelt
C) Harry Truman
D) John F. Kennedy

Question 32

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

A) Family, membership in social groups, and education are not significant agents of socialization.
B) An individual's religion has a significant effect on his or her political views.
C) Attending college makes people less likely to participate in politics.
D) Voluntary social groups have an effect on their members' political views, while involuntary social groups have no effect.

Question 33

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

A) Differences between the political opinions of Democrats and Republicans are smaller today than during any other period in the last 40 years.
B) Differences between the political opinions of Democrats and Republicans are greater today than during any other period in the last 40 years.
C) The differences between the political opinions of Democrats and Republicans have been the same throughout American history and have not become more intense over the last 40 years.
D) Republicans and Democrats have similar opinions on all political issues with the exception of national security.

Question 34

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.

Question 35

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

A) Republicans have become less hawkish over time.
B) Democrats have become more hawkish over time.
C) partisans in the public tend to rely on party leaders for cues on the appropriate positions to take on major political issues.
D) partisans in the public no longer rely on party leaders for cues on the appropriate positions to take on major political issues.

Question 36

A wealthy businessperson who is very liberal is an example of the

A) fact that group memberships can fully explain all of an individual's political views.
B) fact that group memberships never fully explain all of an individual's political views.
C) power of the bandwagon effect.
D) negative consequences of the power of the mass media.

Question 37

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) Those who shop in the marketplace of ideas typically start with moderate viewpoints.
D) Moderate ideas are always closest to the truth and, therefore, are most successful in the marketplace of ideas.

Question 38

What is the "gender gap"?

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 men and women
D) differences in fundamental political values held by men and women

Question 39

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

A) The British 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) Government officials are legally prohibited from promoting ideas in the marketplace of ideas.

Question 40

Support for same-sex marriage

A) has remained at a constant level since 1996.
B) has dramatically increased since 1996.
C) has dramatically decreased since 1996.
D) dramatically decreased between 1996 and 2008 but increased significantly between 2008 and 2015.

Question 41

How are political views formed? Specifically, discuss how agents of socialization such as the family, education, and social groups shape individual opinions.

Question 42

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 not a complete list of all Americans that can be used to identify the population.
D) it is the only method that generates high levels of measurement error.

Question 43

The fact that survey respondents overreport voting in elections and the frequency of their church attendance is an example of the ________ effect.

A) Hawthorne
B) coattail
C) social desirability
D) bandwagon

Question 44

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

A) push poll.
B) bandwagon poll.
C) saliency illusion.
D) nonresponse bias.

Question 45

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) must be representative in that the views of those in the sample must accurately and proportionately reflect the views of the whole population.
D) must be based on all the registered voters in the targeted population.

Question 46

Which statement best describes the relationship between public opinion and government policy?

A) Government policy never influences public opinion because most Americans pay very little attention to politics.
B) Public opinion always influences government policy because lawmakers are legally bound to enact the majority's preferences.
C) The relationship between government policy and public opinion is dynamic, wherein government policy responds to public opinion but public opinion also shifts based on new government policies.
D) Government policy almost never influences public opinion.

Question 47

Describe how public opinion is measured and some of the challenges that arise with polling. Specifically, discuss what sampling is, why sampling is used, and how the problems of social desirability effects, selection bias, the bandwagon effect, and push polling undermine survey research.

Question 48

The practice of push polling involves

A) polling services attempting to sell their polling data to major news media organizations at higher prices during election seasons.
B) the procedure of asking loaded questions in order to subtly shape the respondent's opinion.
C) the effect of polls having to push politicians into adopting policy proposals they would not otherwise adopt.
D) the system of repeatedly calling people in the sampling frame until they respond to the survey.

Question 49

What is the "social desirability effect"?

A) the bias in surveys that comes from the failure of pollsters to interview respondents 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 think the interviewer wishes to hear or whatever they think is socially acceptable, rather than what they actually believe
D) the impression conveyed by polls that something is important to the public when actually it is not

Question 50

In a democracy, it is assumed that elected representatives should implement the policies favored by the people. Discuss how often public opinion actually influences government policy in the United States and whether government is equally responsive to all members of the public. Is there any evidence that government policy might influence public opinion?

Question 51

Some contend that while Americans may be divided by ideology or opinion, they are united by fundamental political values. Describe these core values and discuss a specific example of how their practical interpretations might conflict.

Question 52

In the 2012 presidential election, Gallup surveys significantly overestimated

A) Latino support for Mitt Romney.
B) African American support for Barack Obama.
C) Caucasian support for Mitt Romney.
D) Native American support for Mitt Romney.

Question 53

Which of the following statements best describes the relationship between public opinion and government policy?

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 always lead to changes in government policy.
D) 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 small group selected by pollsters to represent the entire population is called a

A) validity quotient.
B) reliability quotient.
C) sample.
D) quota.

Question 55

Which of the following statements about public opinion is true?

A) Shifts in public opinion on particular issues can lead to changes in public policy.
B) Elected officials are rarely constrained to by public opinion.
C) Liberal states have no conservative laws.
D) Public opinion is generally well informed in the United States.

Question 56

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) random dialing
C) selection bias
D) push polling

Question 57

What is the difference between a value and a political ideology? Describe some of the characteristics and beliefs that define liberalism, conservatism, and libertarianism in contemporary American politics. What are the main differences between liberalism and conservatism in terms of their emphasis on core American values?

Question 58

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.

Question 59

If a person supports a candidate because he or she is the front-runner in a poll, it is an example of the

A) bellwether effect.
B) illusion of saliency.
C) bandwagon effect.
D) "bounce" effect.