Deck 8: Political Culture and Political Socialization

Question 1

What are the agents of political socialization? How do they act to shape political attitudes and values?

Answer 1

Answers will very

Question 2

The reservoir of efficacy and trust that a government builds among the public is called _______________________.

Answer 2

social capital

Question 3

Political culture shapes political socialization and political socialization shapes political culture. Which is the stronger process? Justify your answer.

Answer 3

Answers will very

Question 4

What are the four main attitudes/behaviors that we should expect from a democratic political culture? Expand on each of the four in your essay.

Question 5

The ability of government to take an unpopular action it deems necessary may depend upon the amount of social capital that it has accumulated.

Question 6

Religious belief in Europe has consistently declined over the past fifty years.

Question 7

On the Inglehart-Welzel Values Map, this region was in the upper-right corner, with the highest values of secular-rational values and self-expression values:

A) western and northern Europe
B) eastern Europe
C) North America
D) South Asia
E) Latin America

Question 8

Legitimacy defined in the way political scientists define it has been increasing steadily in the US over the past 50 years.

Question 9

Among the necessities for the political system to function is that the regime retain an support for itself.

Question 10

In Almond and Verba's groundbreaking study from the early 1960s, and also in the data from 1990, this country had the highest degree of democratic engagement:

A) Britain
B) Germany
C) Italy
D) Mexico
E) United States

Question 11

Democracy is the quintessential cooperative government form.

Question 12

Political socialization agents are most effective during:

A) childhood
B) college years
C) early years of adult independence
D) middle age
E) old age

Question 13

Political culture in most societies is very volatile.

Question 14

The most common form of political participation by Americans is "contacting a government official."

Question 15

"Trust" in the political system has been declining steadily in Germany over the past 50 years.

Question 16

Of the following, which is usually the least relevant agent of political socialization?

A) Parents
B) School
C) Businesses
D) Media
E) Peers

Question 17

Clergy, schools, families, peers, and governments are all agents of _______________.

Question 18

Critical Thinking
This chapter suggests that the model "democratic citizen" would be tolerant, would actively participate, would display a high level of interest and information, and would measure their level of support for government. Think carefully and reflect on what the result might be if ALL citizens literally modeled themselves along these lines. Would government function more or less effectively? Would government have the capacities to handle that level of engagement?

Question 19

_______________________ is the composite of basic attitudes and beliefs broadly held that form the basis for society's political behavior.

Question 20

Which of the following is not one of the four characteristic attitudes and behaviors expected in the political culture of a democracy?

A) High levels of interest and information
B) Low levels of support for the rights of minorities
C) Varying support for the state, regime, and government
D) Active participation
E) Tolerance