Deck 9: Public Opinion and the Media

Question 1

The most salient preferences for individuals' opinions are probably __________ interests.

A)economic
B)altruistic
C)environmental
D)military
E)religious

Answer 1

A

Question 2

During the nineteenth century,a liberal was an individual who favored

A)freedom from state control.
B)expansion of federal social services.
C)extensive government intervention in the economy.
D)greater concern for consumers and the environment.
E)increased spending for social welfare programs.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

In modern parlance,someone who generally supports political and social reform is known as a

A)Jacobin.
B)populist.
C)libertarian.
D)conservative.
E)liberal.

Answer 3

E

Question 4

Which of the following is the most common form of communication between citizens and legislators?

A)telegram
B)telephone
C)office visit
D)e-mail
E)Snapchat

Question 5

The contemporary political ideology that is generally supportive of political and social reform,extensive governmental intervention in the economy,expansion of federal social services,more vigorous efforts on behalf of the poor and the disadvantaged,and greater concern for consumers and the environment is most accurately characterized as

A)liberal.
B)socialist.
C)libertarian.
D)conservative.
E)objectivism.

Question 6

The term public opinion itself refers to

A)an aggregate opinion of the public,which is properly treated as a single entity.
B)an aggregate opinion of the public,which should not be treated as a single entity.
C)individual expressions of preferences,which should be treated as rational.
D)individual expressions of preferences,which cannot be assumed to be rational.
E)individual expressions of preferences,which should be treated as a rational collective.

Question 7

The term for the sum of many citizens' views and interests is

A)civic attention.
B)public opinion.
C)popular culture.
D)community spirit.
E)crowd wisdom.

Question 8

In the United States today,people often describe themselves politically by using the labels

A)moral or pragmatic.
B)socialist or libertarian.
C)liberal or conservative.
D)partisan or independent.
E)progressive or populist.

Question 9

When an employer uses her position of power to influence how others in her social group behave,she is displaying which of the following?

A)socialization
B)peer pressure
C)collective action
D)harassment
E)authoritarian rule

Question 10

In social and cultural areas,liberals generally support

A)tax cuts.
B)school prayer.
C)abortion rights.
D)strict enforcement of moral standards.
E)government subsidies to help citizens exercise their Second Amendment rights.

Question 11

Which political group seeks to expand liberty above all other principles and wishes to minimize government intervention in the economy and society?

A)liberals
B)libertarians
C)progressives
D)conservatives
E)Jacobins

Question 12

Citizens' attitudes about political issues,leaders,institutions,and events,when added together,are known as

A)civic attention.
B)public opinion.
C)popular culture.
D)community spirit.
E)collective soul.

Question 13

On most matters that come before the government,the public

A)holds a single view and has great expertise.
B)does not hold a single view and has great expertise.
C)holds a single view and does not generally have great expertise.
D)does not hold a single view and does not generally have great expertise.
E)holds a single view and has zero expertise.

Question 14

An example of a liberal approach to increasing airline safety after 9/11 was to

A)call for better training of existing employees.
B)contract with private organizations to inspect passenger luggage.
C)create a new workforce of federal employees to screen passenger luggage.
D)have the FBI conduct in-depth background checks on all citizens purchasing airline tickets.
E)urge passengers to assault potential terrorists.

Question 15

Which of the following is a reason political opinions are often economically based?

A)American political parties have always been based on social class,with an upper-class party against a lower-class party.
B)Americans prefer to vote for candidates who make the same income as they do.
C)Rich people elected to office customarily reward voters by donating new public buildings to their cities or states.
D)When the economy is good,voters are likely to gamble on new leadership to make it work even better.
E)Governments directly and indirectly hire millions of people.

Question 16

Today in America there is widespread agreement on fundamental political values such as

A)equality of results,community support,and tradition.
B)equality of results,liberty,and democracy.
C)equality of opportunity,community support,and tradition.
D)equality of opportunity,liberty,and democracy.
E)liberty,equality,and fraternity.

Question 17

In 2001,Congress voted to eliminate the estate tax,which affected the wealthiest 2 percent of the population.Due to an effective lobbying and advertising campaign,what percentage of Americans thought the estate tax affected all Americans?

A)2 percent
B)17 percent
C)37 percent
D)57 percent
E)77 percent

Question 18

For liberals,the most important core value is

A)liberty.
B)justice.
C)equality.
D)federalism.
E)fraternity.

Question 19

The process through which underlying beliefs and values are formed is collectively called political

A)maturation.
B)persuasion.
C)socialization.
D)development.
E)indoctrination.

Question 20

Which term best describes a set of assumptions about the way the world and society work that help us organize our beliefs,information,and new situations?

A)science
B)ideology
C)absolutism
D)party identification
E)preferences

Question 21

The contemporary political ideology that is generally supportive of maintaining social and cultural traditions,limiting the role of government in economic life,and ensuring a strong military defense is most accurately classified as

A)liberal.
B)socialist.
C)libertarian.
D)conservative.
E)theocratic.

Question 22

After the election of John F.Kennedy in 1961,there was a growing preference for the Democratic Party among Catholics.Which of the following identities was responsible for shaping this relationship?

A)Latino identity
B)black identity
C)female identity
D)religious identity
E)geographic identity

Question 23

If a constituent and an elected official share the same racial or ethnic characteristics,their relationship includes the bond of

A)socialization.
B)social group.
C)descriptive representation.
D)progressive.
E)constituent.

Question 24

Which of the following is the most important explanation of African American linked fate?

A)In addition to slavery,African Americans have experienced severe discrimination over very long periods of time.
B)African Americans have been influenced by the media and informational cues.
C)African Americans often share similar religious beliefs.
D)African Americans with higher levels of income are less likely to perceive a sense of group cohesion.
E)African Americans are more likely to support government-sponsored social programs.

Question 25

According to a 2012 Gallup Poll,71 percent of men and 55 percent of women said that they approved the use of U.S.troops to attack a terrorist camp.The difference in attitudes between men and women exemplifies which of the following?

A)statistical randomness
B)heightened scrutiny
C)gender gap
D)realism
E)protectionism

Question 26

Which of the following is an example of someone who is descriptively represented?

A)a Mexican American who lives in a city with an African American mayor
B)a white female who is living in a state with an Asian American House representative
C)a Korean American male who is represented by an all-white city council
D)an Asian American voter who is represented by an Asian American governor
E)a black male voter who is represented by a Latino school superintendent

Question 27

Which of the following explains why high-income African Americans are more likely to support policies that are likely to help large numbers of low-income or underemployed African Americans?

A)socioeconomic status
B)collective action
C)fatalism
D)public opinion
E)linked fate

Question 28

A person who decides not to invest time and energy to study political issues is said to be

A)fundamentally lazy.
B)basically uneducated.
C)a duty shirker.
D)un-American.
E)rationally ignorant.

Question 29

The distinctive pattern of voting behavior reflecting the differences in views between men and women is termed the

A)gender gap.
B)masculine rift.
C)sexual revolution.
D)feminine mystique.
E)Mars/Venus syndrome.

Question 30

Which of the following explains why Latinos' political identities have a different character than those of blacks?

A)Latino political identities are not strongly tied to issues of immigration.
B)Latino group identities are often rooted in particular immigrant communities,such as Mexican American,Puerto Rican,and Cuban.
C)Latinos have been treated as an outgroup in the United States.
D)Latinos have experienced discrimination over long periods of time.
E)Latinos do not perceive a sense of common identity.

Question 31

In international affairs,conservatism has come to mean support for

A)arms control.
B)aid to poor nations.
C)maximizing international cooperation.
D)maintaining American military power.
E)Canada.

Question 32

For conservatives,the most important core value is

A)liberty.
B)justice.
C)equality.
D)federalism.
E)fraternity.

Question 33

Which of the following concepts refers to both oppressed groups and collective identity?

A)group interest
B)political identity
C)collective action
D)outgroups
E)party identification

Question 34

Family,race,gender,and prevailing region are examples of

A)elements in devolution.
B)determinants of civic regression.
C)political identities.
D)factors in ideological polarization.
E)predictors of affection.

Question 35

In the domestic economy,those who generally oppose expansion of governmental activity are known as

A)liberals.
B)populists.
C)progressives.
D)conservatives.
E)communists.

Question 36

Today,someone who generally supports the social and economic status quo and is suspicious of efforts to introduce new political formulas and economic arrangements is known as a

A)liberal.
B)populist.
C)progressive.
D)conservative.
E)socialist.

Question 37

Which demographic groups were more likely to support initiating the Iraq War in 2003 and,as of 2008,maintaining a military presence in Iraq indefinitely?

A)women and Republicans
B)men and Democrats
C)men and Republicans
D)women and Democrats
E)Republicans only.There has been no significant difference based on gender.

Question 38

Which of the following identities is associated with residents who strongly identify with the South?

A)Latino identity
B)black identity
C)female identity
D)religious identity
E)geographic identity

Question 39

Why do people take political cues from others rather than study the issues themselves?

A)Most people lack the ability to understand most political issues.
B)Shortcuts help people make good decisions while relieving them of having to gather their own information.
C)They feel compelled to vote like their peers.
D)They want to reward their superiors by supporting their political goals.
E)Most people cannot afford the fees to pay for political news.

Question 40

In today's terms,someone who generally supports extensive government intervention in the economy is known as a

A)liberal.
B)populist.
C)libertarian.
D)conservative.
E)supply-sider.

Question 41

Which of the following is NOT an advantage of the Internet for news purposes?

A)The Internet allows frequent updating.
B)The Internet allows for great depth of coverage.
C)The Internet potentially has the timeliness of television and radio.
D)The Internet is not bound by the same journalistic standards as print media.
E)Online news is easily archived and searched.

Question 42

In recent years,much of the content of the news,especially local news,has shifted away from politics and public affairs toward

A)soft news.
B)public policy.
C)business news.
D)international relations.
E)attacks on competing media.

Question 43

In terms of business,today's newspaper industry is

A)doing better than ever because of the Internet.
B)similar to the last 20 years of newspaper sales.
C)in serious economic trouble.
D)waning because of increasingly burdensome federal regulations.
E)more profitable than ever as coupon marketing blooms.

Question 44

Up until about the mid-1990s,what were the two main classes of media?

A)print and broadcast
B)print and journalistic
C)journalistic and wave-based
D)audio and visual
E)wave-based and print

Question 45

American radio and television are regulated by an independent regulatory agency established in 1934 called the

A)Public Broadcasting Corporation.
B)National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).
C)National Public Regulation Authority (NPR).
D)Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
E)Federal Broadcast Regulatory Authority (FBRA).

Question 46

How often must radio and TV stations renew their FCC licenses?

A)every six months
B)every year
C)every two years
D)every five years
E)every ten years

Question 47

Which news source reaches the majority of Americans?

A)radio
B)television
C)the Internet
D)newspapers
E)neighborhood gossip

Question 48

More than any other single news source,Americans get their news from

A)radio.
B)television.
C)the Internet.
D)newspapers.
E)magazines.

Question 49

Between the hours of 6 A.M.and 10 P.M.,radio and television stations are prohibited from airing

A)one-sided political discussions.
B)issue ads sponsored by noncandidates.
C)explicit sexual references.
D)programs with swearing.
E)noneducational cartoons.

Question 50

How did media ownership in the United States change after passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996?

A)It became more regulated.
B)It became more specialized.
C)It became more educational.
D)It became more decentralized.
E)It became more concentrated.

Question 51

What portion of governments in the world today attempts to influence or manipulate citizens' beliefs?

A)none
B)few
C)many
D)all
E)only communist countries

Question 52

Generally speaking,radio news is essentially a

A)forum for editorializing.
B)good source for in-depth news analyses and coverage.
C)headline service without pictures.
D)mirror reflection of coverage in weekly news magazines.
E)commercial for cable news networks.

Question 53

Broadcast and cable media have

A)decreased in market share relative to newspapers.
B)become insulated from market incentives.
C)less accountability to the government than newspapers.
D)greater in-depth coverage of issues than the print media.
E)faced greater regulations than the print media.

Question 54

After his first election,President Bill Clinton established a political war room for the purpose of

A)ensuring his re-election.
B)discussing and coordinating the president's public relations efforts.
C)deterring political challengers.
D)handling the U.S.role in the Bosnian conflict.
E)developing legal responses to political scandals.

Question 55

How do well-financed groups,such as the U.S.Chamber of Commerce,influence public opinion?

A)organizing nonviolent street protests by group members
B)hiring junior high students as surrogates to post pro-business messages on liberal blogs
C)inviting randomly selected citizens to attend issues education seminars in the Colorado Rockies
D)paying spokespeople to travel the country giving speeches at college campuses
E)spending millions of dollars on television commercials,contributions to think tanks,and other forms of issue management

Question 56

What is the prime source of news for educated and influential individuals?

A)radio
B)Twitter
C)television
D)newspapers
E)infotainment

Question 57

Which choice best describes the relationship between the government and the media?

A)Government controls media content.
B)Government owns the broadcast media but does not control content.
C)Government does not own the communications networks but does regulate broadcast media.
D)Government does not own the communication networks and does not regulate broadcast media.
E)Media own the government and control its content.

Question 58

A federal requirement that broadcasters provide candidates who are running for the same political office an equal opportunity to communicate their messages to the public is called the

A)equal time rule.
B)right of rebuttal.
C)fairness doctrine.
D)matching time requirement.
E)balancing mandate.

Question 59

Why do newspapers remain an important source of news?

A)The broadcast media largely cover stories already broken by major newspapers.
B)People generally read newspapers at least once each week.
C)They are usually the first to cover breaking news such as the events of September 11,2001.
D)Most individuals prefer reading a paper to watching television.
E)Most readers preserve them as a historical record.

Question 60

Per broadcast hour,radio stations usually devote how much time to coverage of the news?

A)5 minutes
B)11 minutes
C)17 minutes
D)25 minutes
E)55 minutes

Question 61

For many years until the regulation was no longer enforced,broadcasters who aired programs on controversial issues were required to provide time for opposing views under a policy known as the

A)equal time rule.
B)right of rebuttal.
C)fairness doctrine.
D)matching time requirement.
E)compensation principle.

Question 62

Public opinion is the aggregation of many citizens' views and interests.

Question 63

Citizens in the United States have only a narrow set of means to express their opinions.

Question 64

Similar to blacks,Latinos are politically homogeneous.

Question 65

Identities are both psychological and sociological.

Question 66

Expressions of opinion are generally dichotomous,as opposed to expressing a range of possible options.

Question 67

Aggregate public opinion should be treated as if it were a thinking,rational organism.

Question 68

When the media focus a great deal on a particular story,people are influenced through the process known as

A)framing.
B)priming.
C)plastering.
D)overcoverage.
E)carpet bombing.

Question 69

In terms of political orientation,men tend to be more militaristic.

Question 70

When the media choose to present a story from a particular angle to invoke a desired reaction,people are influenced through the process known as

A)sniping.
B)priming.
C)plastering.
D)overcoverage.
E)framing.

Question 71

Like liberalism,conservatism is a relatively monolithic and unchanging ideology.

Question 72

Expressions of public opinion are easy to interpret.

Question 73

The concept of identity politics is much broader than oppressed groups that seek to assert their rights.

Question 74

The two primary pathways through which media coverage shapes what people think are

A)priming and framing.
B)advertising and position taking.
C)authoritativeness and opinion leadership.
D)yellow journalism and issue leadership.
E)subliminal messages and ad hominem coverage.

Question 75

Individuals have many identities.

Question 76

Self-interest often informs individuals' political preferences.

Question 77

Often individuals will consciously or unconsciously adapt their views to those of the groups with which they identify.

Question 78

The gender gap has virtually vanished on the abortion issue.

Question 79

Membership in a social group rarely affects an individual's political orientation.

Question 80

According to the Pew Research Center,more Americans describe themselves as "liberals" than "conservatives."