Deck 10: Public Opinion

Question 1

Which of the following affects political public opinion?

A) Race
B) Gender
C) Partisanship
D) All of the above

Answer 1

D

Question 2

The collective opinions of large segments of the population on an issue, candidate, or public policy on which the public might be much divided and lack consensus are known as

A) political opinion.
B) public opinion.
C) personal opinion.
D) faction opinion.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

How did some of the Framers attempt to encourage public opinion to swing in favor of ratifying the Constitution?

A) By publishing the Constitution
B) By publishing the Bill of Rights
C) By publishing The Federalist Papers
D) By publishing The Anti-Federalist Papers

Answer 3

C

Question 4

President _______ stated the following: "In this age, in this country, public sentiment is everything. With it, nothing can fail; against it, nothing can succeed. Whoever molds public sentiment, goes deeper than he who enacts statutes or pronounces judicial decisions."

A) Jefferson
B) Jackson
C) Lincoln
D) Grant

Question 5

President _______ was forced into pushing against public opinion in the case of the integration of the University of Mississippi.

A) Kennedy
B) Johnson
C) Nixon
D) Ford

Question 6

The Bush administration hired a former Madison Avenue advertising executive to drum up and maintain public support for

A) the war on terror.
B) the war on drugs.
C) the war on poverty.
D) the war on illegal immigration.

Question 7

Why are the results of much of the early research on public opinion flawed?

A) The methods used were poor.
B) The surveys were too large.
C) The surveys were based solely on White opinion.
D) The surveys did not ask the right questions.

Question 8

In what way is race becoming increasingly important in terms of public opinion?

A) Continuing racial demographic shifts
B) Increasingly hostile racial minority groups
C) Decreasing political interest of Whites
D) None of the above

Question 9

In which year did Massachusetts colonial law officially include language allowing for slavery?

A) 1594
B) 1619
C) 1641
D) 1720

Question 10

Legal racial discrimination, segregation, and denial of political freedoms and constitutional guarantees remained in place until

A) the Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857) decision.
B) the end of the Civil War.
C) the Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) decision.
D) the Civil Rights movement.

Question 11

Which of the following provides an example of differing sociopolitical realities for Blacks and Whites?

A) Black defendants required to post higher bail than White defendants
B) Higher car prices for Blacks than for Whites
C) Higher mortgage rates given to Blacks than to Whites, despite equal qualifications and history
D) All of the above

Question 12

In terms of a 2018 Gallup poll, how did racial differences play out for the following statement: Blacks have as good a chance as Whites of getting any kind of job for which they are qualified.

A) A vast majority of Whites agreed and a majority of Blacks disagreed.
B) A majority of Blacks agreed and a vast majority of Whites disagreed.
C) Whites and Blacks equally disagreed.
D) Whites and Blacks equally agreed.

Question 13

What helps to account for racial differences in opinion regarding the degree of racism against Blacks in the United States?

A) Government propaganda plays a major role.
B) There are no racial differences in opinion.
C) Racial minorities just like to dwell on past wrongs.
D) Life experiences that differ by race play a major role.

Question 14

Why is it inappropriate to use the standard political ideology labels of liberal, moderate, and conservative (which were developed through national surveys) to label racial and ethnic minorities?

A) Racial and ethnic minorities are less involved in the political system.
B) Those surveys were conducted with very few non-White respondents.
C) Those surveys asked racial and ethnic minorities the wrong questions about ideology.
D) None of the above

Question 15

Why are African Americans largely considered "liberal"?

A) They overwhelmingly support the Democratic Party.
B) They overwhelmingly support liberal policies.
C) They always rank high on liberal ideology scales.
D) All of the above

Question 16

Which of the following best describes the policy preferences of many Blacks?

A) Conservative on economic issues, liberal on social issues
B) Conservative on economic and social issues
C) Liberal on economic issues, conservative on social issues
D) Liberal on economic and social issues

Question 17

Latinos largely support

A) conservative domestic policy.
B) liberal domestic policy.
C) conservative economic policy.
D) All of the above

Question 18

What decreases the degree to which it is appropriate to make claims concerning Latino ideology?

A) Latinos' general disengagement from the political system
B) The wide variety of familial nationalities and ethnicities subsumed under the pan-ethnic "Latino" label
C) Both of the above
D) None of the above

Question 19

Which of the following helps to explain how racial minorities can call themselves conservative and simultaneously believe in having more government involvement in expanding opportunities for equality and in bolstering antidiscrimination laws?

A) Unregulated ideology
B) Undisciplined ideology
C) Group differences
D) Historical context

Question 20

Why are Blacks and Latinos less likely than Whites to support the death penalty?

A) The former groups recognize the bias in the justice system against individuals from these groups.
B) The former groups are more liberal than the latter group.
C) The former groups do not want to see justice served against people from their groups.
D) Each of these groups supports the death penalty equally.

Question 21

Why are Blacks and Latinos more likely than Whites to want it to be more difficult to buy a gun?

A) The former groups do not believe in Second Amendment rights.
B) The former groups are more liberal than the latter group.
C) The former groups, Blacks in particular, are more likely to be the victims of violent crimes.
D) Each of these groups supports gun laws equally.

Question 22

Social relations between the sexes and attitudes about how the sexes interact and the roles that society assumes they will play concern the concept of

A) sex.
B) sexual orientation.
C) gender.
D) None of the above

Question 23

When was the factor of gender recognized as important in the formation of public opinion?

A) 1950s
B) 1960s
C) 1970s
D) 1980s

Question 24

Whether an individual is male or female concerns the concept of

A) sex.
B) sexual orientation.
C) gender.
D) None of the above

Question 25

The difference between men and women on such crucial issues as partisan identification and voting for certain candidates is known as the

A) sex gap.
B) gender gap.
C) sex disparity.
D) gender disparity.

Question 26

Which decade saw a notable increase in the gender gap?

A) 1970s
B) 1980s
C) 1990s
D) 2000s

Question 27

The emergence of the gender gap in politics is most frequently attributed to the period during the _______ administration.

A) Wilson
B) Roosevelt
C) Kennedy
D) Reagan

Question 28

Which of the following is accurate?

A) The 2008 election gender gap was relatively equal across races.
B) The 2008 election gender gap was a result of the overwhelming support of non-White women for candidate Obama.
C) The 2008 election did not have a gender gap.
D) None of the above

Question 29

What helps to account for the gender gap in public opinion?

A) Increased numbers of women in a workforce biased against them
B) Increased gender consciousness
C) Recognition of policy preferences and interests that differ from those of men
D) All of the above

Question 30

Which of the following is not an issue with a major gender gap?

A) Protection of women's rights
B) Protection of religious freedoms
C) Protection of aid to the unemployed
D) Protection of the environment

Question 31

Has male political behavior contributed to the gender gap?

A) Yes, men are now more politically active than they once were.
B) Yes, men have moved to the Republican Party at a greater rate than women.
C) No, only women's opinions have altered over time.
D) No, there is no discernible gender gap in political public opinion.

Question 32

Among various groups at the intersection of race/ethnicity and gender, Black women are the _______ the death penalty.

A) most supportive of
B) least supportive of
C) most apathetic toward
D) None of the above

Question 33

Among various groups at the intersection of race/ethnicity and gender, White men are the _______ the death penalty.

A) most supportive of
B) least supportive of
C) most apathetic toward
D) None of the above

Question 34

Among various groups at the intersection of race/ethnicity and gender, non-White women are the _______ stricter laws on gun sales.

A) most supportive of
B) least supportive of
C) most apathetic toward
D) None of the above

Question 35

Among various groups at the intersection of race/ethnicity and gender, White men are the _______ stricter laws on gun sales.

A) most supportive of
B) least supportive of
C) most apathetic toward
D) None of the above

Question 36

What is the effect of race and gender on public opinion?

A) There is no discernible difference in public opinion based on gender, but there is in terms of race.
B) There is no discernible difference in public opinion based on race, but there is in terms of gender.
C) Race and gender each have independent effects on public opinion.
D) There is an intersectional effect, with White women, Black women, Black men, and so on, having differing opinions as groups unto themselves.

Question 37

Political culture refers to

A) the attitudes, beliefs, and values that undergird or are at the foundation of a political system.
B) the process through which a person gains political understanding and forms a set of political beliefs.
C) the process through which a person works to change their attitudes and perceptions regarding political issues.
D) All of the above

Question 38

Political socialization refers to

A) the attitudes, beliefs, and values that undergird or are at the foundation of a political system.
B) the process through which a person gains political understanding and forms a set of political beliefs.
C) the process through which a person works to change their attitudes and perceptions regarding political issues.
D) All of the above

Question 39

American political culture is based on which principle?

A) Freedom
B) Equality
C) Exclusion
D) All of the above

Question 40

What helps us to understand the current state, thinking, and direction of political culture?

A) Public opinion
B) Political socialization
C) Political development
D) Public values

Question 41

The dynamic nature of public opinion concerning interracial marriage and homosexual marriage over time reflect changes in

A) political culture.
B) public opinion.
C) political development.
D) None of the above

Question 42

What most directly might lead to reforms in the welfare system?

A) Changing beliefs concerning the tax system
B) Changing beliefs concerning self-sufficiency
C) Changing beliefs concerning homosexual marriage
D) Changing beliefs concerning immigration

Question 43

Children often adopt the political positions of their

A) friends.
B) parents.
C) relatives.
D) All of the above

Question 44

How do governments engage in childhood political socialization?

A) Schools
B) Instruction guides for parents
C) Government corporations
D) None of the above

Question 45

How do schools encourage the development of civic values among children?

A) School elections
B) Recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance
C) Social studies, history, and civics classes
D) All of the above

Question 46

Which of the following is accurate concerning political socialization?

A) It only occurs during childhood.
B) It only occurs during adulthood.
C) It is a lifelong process.
D) It requires active work on the part of the individual.

Question 47

Which of the following is accurate concerning political socialization?

A) Political views become rigid after childhood.
B) Political views never change.
C) Political views only change if challenged by family members.
D) Political views can change over time based on variable life circumstances.

Question 48

Which of the following is not a characteristic of someone who is more likely to identify with the Republican Party?

A) High income
B) High education level
C) Blue-collar job
D) Suburban residence

Question 49

Which of the following is not a characteristic of someone who is more likely to identify with the Democratic Party?

A) Professional occupation
B) Low income
C) Low education level
D) Urban residence

Question 50

What percentage of the delegates at the 2016 Democratic National Convention delegates were racial/ethnic minorities?

A) About 25%
B) About 50%
C) About 75%
D) About 100%

Question 51

What percentage of those ages 18-29 state that they obtain their news about politics from social media?

A) 18%
B) 28%
C) 49%
D) 55%

Question 52

The political party an individual most identifies with specifically relates to their

A) partisan effects.
B) political involvement.
C) political values.
D) partisan affiliation.

Question 53

Which of the following is accurate?

A) Those affiliated with the Republican Party are more likely to want government to have a relatively limited role in society.
B) Those affiliated with the Democratic Party are more likely to want government to have a relatively limited role in society.
C) Both of the above
D) None of the above

Question 54

The "Southern strategy" used by many Republican presidential candidates uses _______ to attempt to pull _______ into their party.

A) gender; men
B) race; Black Republicans
C) gender; women
D) race; White Democrats

Question 55

What was one result of President Lyndon Johnson's push for civil rights?

A) Many Blacks decided not to accept their constitutional rights.
B) Many Black Republicans further entrenched themselves into the party.
C) Many White Democrats moved to the Republican Party.
D) Many White Democrats and Republicans moved out of the South.

Question 56

In which region are people most likely to say buying a gun should be more difficult?

A) Northeast
B) Midwest
C) South
D) West

Question 57

In which religion are people most likely to say buying a gun should be more difficult?

A) Protestant
B) Catholic
C) Jewish
D) Other

Question 58

The Democratic and Republican conventions visually demonstrate

A) the lack of gender equity in both parties.
B) the difference in racial and ethnic diversity of the parties.
C) the lack of religious diversity in both parties.
D) None of the above

Question 59

Which of the following concepts does this scenario best reflect? A child's parents belong to one political party and the child becomes affiliated with the same party as an adult. Once that child is of retirement age, they switch party affiliation based on their new party's stances on various policies and like-minded friends.

A) Political affiliation
B) Political socialization
C) Political knowledge
D) All of the above

Question 60

Which of the following is most often cited as a main source for political information?

A) Newspapers
B) Internet
C) Television
D) Radio

Question 61

According to a 1981 survey, which of the following was cited as a main source for political information?

A) Newspapers
B) Internet
C) Television
D) Radio

Question 62

In terms of people gathering political information through television, are television news programs the main source that is sought?

A) Yes, the traditional broadcasting stations continue to be the main source for news.
B) Yes, the traditional networks and cable news networks overwhelming serve as the main source for news gathering.
C) No, people rarely watch news programs.
D) No, although people do watch news programs, they also watch entertainment programs for their news.

Question 63

Which of the following is accurate?

A) Only young people seek news from online sources.
B) Only older adults seek news from online sources.
C) The gap between younger and older people in terms of seeking news online is shrinking.
D) Older and younger people have always sought news online at similar rates.

Question 64

In terms of partisan identification and cable television news

A) Democrats are most likely to watch Fox News.
B) Tea Party members are most likely to watch Fox News.
C) Republicans are most likely to watch CNN.
D) Republicans are most likely to watch MSNBC.

Question 65

What is one of the major means by which American citizens express public opinion?

A) Online polls
B) Voting
C) Writing to elected officials
D) None of the above

Question 66

Which of the following are means of expressing public opinion?

A) Voting
B) Writing to elected officials
C) Participating in demonstrations
D) All of the above

Question 67

What is the main method for measuring public opinion?

A) Experimental research
B) Survey research
C) Game theoretic modeling
D) All of the above

Question 68

The administration of questionnaires to a sample of respondents selected from a particular population, useful for making descriptive and explanatory studies of large populations, is known as

A) experimental research.
B) survey research.
C) game theoretic modeling.
D) None of the above

Question 69

The American National Election Study and General Social Survey are examples of

A) public opinion polls conducted through universities.
B) samples.
C) business research tools.
D) public opinion polls conducted through news organizations.

Question 70

A small set of people carefully drawn from a larger population to reflect its overall characteristics is known as

A) an experiment.
B) a survey.
C) a sample.
D) a quota.

Question 71

Quota sampling is

A) a type of sampling that requires the researcher to poll only the people in their closest inner circle.
B) a general term for a sample selected based on political ideological leanings.
C) a type of sampling in which individuals to be interviewed are selected based on their proportion or quota in the general population being polled.
D) a general term for a sample selected in accordance with probability theory, which ensures that every person in the population has an equal chance of being selected for the sample.

Question 72

Probability sampling is

A) a type of sampling that requires the researcher to poll only the people in their closest inner circle.
B) a general term for a sample selected based on political ideological leanings.
C) a type of sampling in which individuals to be interviewed are selected based on their proportion or quota in the general population being polled.
D) a general term for a sample selected in accordance with probability theory, which ensures that every person in the population has an equal chance of being selected for the sample.

Question 73

Which election prominently exposed the problems of quota sampling?

A) Lincoln, 1864
B) Harding, 1920
C) Truman, 1948
D) Kennedy, 1960

Question 74

The degree of expected error in sampling results that comes from estimating the responses of the population from a sample is known as

A) probable sampling.
B) sampling error.
C) quota sampling.
D) probability error.

Question 75

How does question wording influence the reporting of public opinion on a topic?

A) It can influence the understanding a respondent has concerning the issue in question.
B) It can place a negative, positive, or neutral viewpoint on the issue in question.
C) Both of the above
D) None of the above

Question 76

Why do public opinion results differ when questions concerning affirmative action are referred to in terms of "preferential treatment" rather than "affirmative action to overcome past discrimination"?

A) The former casts a positive connotation, whereas the latter is somewhat more negative.
B) The former casts a negative connotation, whereas the latter is somewhat more positive.
C) Results would differ because there is no way to adequately measure public opinion.
D) The results would not differ because everyone understands the concept of affirmative action in the same way.

Question 77

Why would when a question is asked in a survey matter?

A) Respondents might not be paying attention.
B) Respondents' views might be affected by political events that are occurring at the time of the survey.
C) Respondents might be primed by an earlier question to think of a later question in a positive or negative way.
D) It does not have any effect on the results.

Question 78

Why would the period during which data for a survey is gathered matter?

A) Respondents might not be paying attention.
B) Respondents' views might be affected by political events that are occurring at the time of the survey.
C) Respondents might be primed by an earlier question to think of a later question in a positive or negative way.
D) It does not have any effect on the results.

Question 79

What is the Bradley effect?

A) The difference between how Black candidates poll and how they perform on Election Day
B) The difference between how White candidates poll and how they perform on Election Day
C) The difference between how female candidates poll and how they perform on Election Day
D) The difference between how Protestant candidates poll and how they perform on Election Day

Question 80

Which of the following is accurate concerning the 2012 presidential election?

A) Romney received the majority of votes of the White population, and Obama received the majority of votes of the non-White population.
B) Obama received the majority of votes of the White population, and Romney received the majority of votes of the non-White population.
C) Obama received the majority of votes of the White population and the non-White population.
D) Obama only received the majority of votes of the Black population.