Deck 10: Public Opinion

Question 1

What is the term for an item on a state or local ballot that seeks to determine accurate public opinion for use in resolving a pressing political issue without creating widespread public dissatisfaction?

A) Public opinion poll
B) Solicitation
C) Referendum
D) Political canvass
E) Survey

Answer 1

C

Question 2

As a direct result of strong and organized public support, the Seventeenth Amendment was ratified in 1913. What did the new amendment create?

A) The abolition of slavery
B) A national bank to protect against economic depression
C) A requirement that a president seek out public opinion before making major decisions.
D) America's entry into World War I
E) A direct election of U.S. senators by the voters of the state instead of by the state legislatures

Answer 2

E

Question 3

The most common method used to determine public opinion is

A) a nationwide election.
B) the sales reports from nationwide marketing agencies.
C) the public opinion poll.
D) the Nielsen television ratings.
E) telephone and e-mail contacts to the White House Press Office.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Political scientist V. O. Key was more specific in his definition of public opinion when he described it as,

A) "the measure of guaranteed success."
B) "collective opinions that are dangerous for a politician to follow."
C) "inaccurate results of inaccurate ideology."
D) "those opinions held by private persons which government finds it prudent to heed."
E) "the general feeling of the American public that is actually irrelevant to a government policymaker."

Question 5

The translation of values and beliefs into a systematic way of assessing the political environment is referred to as

A) political isolation.
B) political orientation.
C) ideological interpretation.
D) religion.
E) the electoral process.

Question 6

Political scientist Samuel Huntington has identified four politically relevant values that are widely accepted by a great consensus in our political culture and serve as a basis for defining political beliefs. Which of the following is NOT one of the four values?

A) Wealth
B) Liberty
C) Individualism
D) Equality
E) Rule of law

Question 7

Which of the following is most closely aligned with contemporary liberal ideology?

A) Prefers states' rights over the rights of the federal government
B) Prefers that government take a more assertive role in the redistribution of economic resources and individual freedoms
C) In the United States, is more closely aligned with the Socialist Party
D) Strongly advocates governmental regulation of morality
E) Advocates that government take a hands-off approach to economic matters

Question 8

Many scholars use which of the following as a general definition of public opinion?

A) The official results of an election
B) The summation of individual opinions on any particular topic or issue
C) The results of a Gallup opinion poll
D) The views of elected officials as to the direction of the nation
E) The collective political preferences of the majority of citizens

Question 9

Public opinion exists at three basic levels. One of the highest levels of public opinion is seen in the beliefs of the American people. In this sense, how is the term "beliefs" defined?

A) Laws and statutes of the American government
B) Religious denominational understandings
C) Facts that derive from values that people take for granted about the world
D) Vague feelings that people perceive as applying to the world at large
E) Political orientations and preferences

Question 10

For most Americans, liberty does NOT include

A) the right to choose a religion.
B) the right to publicly disagree with a party in power.
C) the right to libel private individuals.
D) the right to publicly disagree with the president.
E) the right to publish news stories without government retribution.

Question 11

The value of individualism does NOT

A) show a preference for rewarding hard work.
B) place a premium on stylish personal dress and appearance.
C) presume society will be advanced by encouraging individuals to succeed.
D) reflect affinity for the Puritan work ethic.
E) lead to a belief in the importance of capitalism and free enterprise.

Question 12

Which president encouraged and empowered the rise of the "common man"?

A) John Adams
B) Warren Harding
C) John Quincy Adams
D) Andrew Jackson
E) Franklin Pierce

Question 13

Which of the following is NOT a constitutionally protected means of expressing a political opinion?

A) Free, open, and regular election of House members
B) Direct election of U. S. senators
C) Political rallies
D) Silencing opposing political parties
E) Protest rallies

Question 14

An orientation for translating values into specific opinions and a philosophical guide that people use to help translate their values and beliefs into specific political preferences is known as

A) social filtering.
B) conservatism.
C) partisanship.
D) political ideology.
E) political posturing.

Question 15

The rule of law is a strong value in American opinion. Which of the following is NOT an element of the rule of law?

A) That there is a strong belief in the legitimacy of the U.S. Constitution
B) That elections act as an important way to configure government
C) That minority rights are not important and the minority should not be allowed to challenge the majority
D) That the opinion of the majority should prevail
E) That those accused of a crime should be entitled to fair procedures

Question 16

Rule of law does NOT include a strong belief in

A) the detailed requirements of a regulatory system.
B) the legitimacy of the U.S. Constitution.
C) the importance of elections as a means to configure government.
D) the idea that the opinion of the majority should prevail.
E) those in the minority should have the right to challenge the majority.

Question 17

Unlike the goals of many news conglomerates, most bloggers openly don't aspire to

A) personal commentary.
B) up-to-date perspectives.
C) partisan perspectives.
D) references to data.
E) objective commentary.

Question 18

Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the text for currently providing data on American public opinion?

A) The Daily Show / Poll
B) USA Today/ Gallup Poll
C) CBS/ New York Times poll
D) Fox News/ Opinion Dynamics poll
E) NBC/ Wall Street Journal

Question 19

Which philosopher did NOT advance the role of the people in government?

A) Plato
B) Aristotle
C) Montesquieu
D) Locke
E) Hobbes

Question 20

Which of the following is a means in which members of the public can freely express their political opinions?

A) Writing an e-mail/letter to an elected official
B) Blogging or commenting on another's blog
C) Writing letters to the editor of a newspaper
D) Calling in to a radio show
E) All are examples of expressing free public opinion.

Question 21

Researchers, such as Samuel Kernell, have investigated the indirect links between public opinion and public policy. According to Kernell, when the president is seeing a high level of positive public opinion, what is the link in regard to policy development?

A) Congress will attempt to damage this high approval level by refusing to enact any policies favorable to the president.
B) The opposition party will become more aggressive and committed to bringing down the president.
C) There is no discernable link.
D) Congress will enact legislation that the president wants but will attempt to paint the president in a very unflattering light so as to undermine his/her support.
E) It is far more likely that the president is able to get his/her favored legislation passed as Congress does not want to move against strong public support.

Question 22

The process by which an individual acquires values, beliefs, and opinions about politics is called

A) indoctrination.
B) political branding.
C) partisan molding.
D) political socialization.
E) political demeanor.

Question 23

Walter Lippman was a well-known public opinion scholar of the early twentieth century. What was Lippman's primary argument concerning public opinion and politics?

A) Voting should be left to those who demonstrate an appropriate level of knowledge.
B) Americans are highly capable and are willing to seek the information necessary to make an informed choice in the voting process.
C) Voters in certain regions lack the ability or desire to effectively learn about the issues and to seek the necessary information to make an informed choice.
D) Only those who have a formal education should be allowed to vote.
E) Citizens invest very little energy and effort in acquiring information about politics, and as a consequence, public opinion lacks the necessary knowledge to provide value.

Question 24

In order to be successful and effective, a democracy relies upon which of the following important assumptions?

A) That political parties will always serve the best purpose of the people with the best motives
B) That citizens have the necessary information and skills to be able to understand political issues and provide informed input
C) That citizens do not know what they want, therefore political parties are formed to structure the decisions for the voters
D) That most citizens are incapable of making clear and rational choices in elections
E) That only those citizens who are literate and have shown that they understand the issues should be allowed to vote

Question 25

Probably the most consistent influence on the development of values and beliefs, including political values, is provided by

A) co-workers.
B) elementary schools.
C) parents.
D) religions.
E) party affiliations.

Question 26

The process of acquiring political values, beliefs, and opinions begins

A) at birth.
B) during childhood.
C) at around 18 to 21 years old.
D) around middle age.
E) in retirement years for many individuals.

Question 27

Political scientist V. O. Key Jr. argued that voters behave about as rationally and responsibly as we should expect. His rationale was

A) that political leaders are to blame because they don't rationally discuss the issues or provide a framework for voters to understand the issues.
B) that voters have limited collective intelligence.
C) that political issues are quite complex and are beyond the level of expertise of most ordinary citizens.
D) that the electorate is not at all interested in the issues, but seeks the "path of least resistance" by voting on appearance and demeanor.
E) that there is not an adequate level of media sources to effectively disseminate information.

Question 28

Building upon research from the early twentieth century that indicated a lack of an informed public, Philip Converse in the 1970s used scientific surveys to research public opinion in regard to voting. This research indicated

A) that ordinary citizens are generally very knowledgeable about political issues and candidates.
B) that a very positive and upbeat mood exists among potential voters concerning candidates and issues.
C) that a very high percentage of eligible voters do vote.
D) that ordinary citizens are ill-informed about political issues, ill-equipped to understand politics, and quite fickle in how they stand on issues.
E) that ordinary citizens are very stable in their opinions and their votes indicate that stability.

Question 29

Which of the following is true concerning the political orientations of Americans?

A) Americans tend to swing back and forth in their political orientations.
B) Political orientations are embedded in Americans as youths and never change.
C) Americans tend to follow the lead of European nations when determining their political orientations.
D) Political orientations tend to be very stable and lasting.
E) Political orientations tend to change with every election.

Question 30

As one of the Framers of our Constitution, Alexander Hamilton was very vocal in his fear of "tyranny of the masses," which he believed could lead to instability in governance. Hamilton's answer to this challenge was

A) a republican form of government, in which the public chooses leaders who run the government, rather than a direct democracy in which the public rules directly.
B) to limit the right to vote to a representative number of citizens.
C) to limit the number of political parties that were allowed to function in the political arena.
D) a single, unified political party in which the party leaders were actually the elected officials, thereby bringing consistency and continuity to governance.
E) a return to a monarchy as the form of government.

Question 31

During Page and Shapiro's study, they also investigated the link between public opinion and public policy. What was their finding?

A) The public expects its elected representatives to seek its opinion before developing public policy.
B) There is very little correlation between public opinion and public policy.
C) When public opinion shifts, a corresponding shift in public policy is likely to follow.
D) As public opinion is impossible to be accurately determined, public opinion cannot be impacted.
E) Divisive partisan politics have the impact of creating impasse, whereby public opinion becomes irrelevant to enactment of public policy.

Question 32

In a longitudinal study, Benjamin Page and Robert Shapiro studied public opinion by reviewing decades of poll data. Which of the following is NOT one of the findings of their study?

A) Over the long haul, pubic opinion on many issues remains fairly stable.
B) When public opinion does change, it moves in logical directions.
C) Public opinion generally reflects a lackluster or lazy attitude among many voters.
D) Decades of poll data show a pattern of sensibility and rationality on the part of public opinion.
E) Public opinion tends to form meaningful patterns consistent with a set of underlying beliefs and values.

Question 33

Often there are many factors and institutions that have a particularly relevant impact on one's socialization to politics. These factors and institutions are known as

A) agents of political socialization.
B) factors of character development.
C) collective culturalization.
D) building blocks.
E) cultural foundations.

Question 34

The impressions and information that are acquired while the individual is younger, and which tend to be most influential and last the longest, are referred to by psychologists as

A) branding.
B) initialization.
C) primacy tendency.
D) coding.
E) politicalization.

Question 35

Which of the following concepts is most closely aligned with contemporary conservative ideology?

A) Prefers sharply increased government assistance in health care
B) Advocates government owned and operated health care.
C) Maintains traditional values on social issues but prefers government restraint in economic redistribution
D) Promotes an increase in free education to all college students
E) Promotes an increase in Medicaid and Medicare benefits

Question 36

Liberals and conservatives actually do agree on many ideals, though they differ on how these values and beliefs should be written into policies. Which of the following is NOT an ideal that tends to be mutually accepted by liberals and conservatives?

A) The rule of law
B) Majority rule
C) The rights of minorities
D) The free enterprise system as a process that will generally guarantee the most robust economy
E) Socialized health care

Question 37

According to most research, how long is the process of acquiring political values, beliefs, and opinions?

A) At least one month
B) About one year
C) A generation
D) Until retirement age, though this is rarely the case
E) A lifelong process that begins in childhood

Question 38

Political partisanship receives much bad press in our modern times, but partisanship serves a purpose. Which of the following is a benefit of political partisanship?

A) It eliminates third party interference.
B) It exposes the hypocrisy of the opposing party.
C) It provides a framework for individuals to translate broad values and beliefs into preferences for issue positions and political candidates.
D) It divides the electorate and forces voters to take a stand.
E) It discourages excessive voting.

Question 39

Children who grow up in a home in which parents regard politics as important generally tend to

A) reject any reference to politics in adult life.
B) return to their parents for guidance about voting or taking a stand.
C) become rigid and unyielding in their political beliefs.
D) also regard politics as important throughout their lives.
E) seek mates with dominant political views.

Question 40

Which of the following would have the least impact on the development of political attitudes, beliefs, and values in most individuals?

A) Co-workers
B) Family
C) Personal friends
D) School
E) Religion

Question 41

People from a population who are studied for the purpose of learning something about the whole population are referred to as

A) a pseudo-poll.
B) intercept subjects.
C) self-selected listeners.
D) a sample.
E) a test case.

Question 42

Which of the following would NOT be included in a list of demographic factors that define an individual and his or her political values?

A) Age
B) Race
C) Gender
D) Political party in office
E) Economic status

Question 43

Which of the following is an example of an unscientific poll?

A) CRAPs
B) FRUGing
C) Push Polls
D) SUGing
E) Gallup Poll

Question 44

The amount of error in a poll that results from interviewing a group of people rather than the whole population under study is referred to as

A) sampling error.
B) question error.
C) inaccuracy of answers.
D) inconsistent questioning.
E) cultural diversity.

Question 45

What is the normal confidence interval percentage with a poll?

A) 90 percent
B) 95 percent
C) 99 percent
D) 100 percent
E) 50 percent

Question 46

According to the National Council on Public Polls, which of the following need NOT be disclosed about any poll that is released publicly?

A) The name of the organization sponsoring the poll
B) The dates of interviewing
C) The method for obtaining interviews
D) The names of interviewers
E) A definition of the population that was sampled

Question 47

A public opinion poll

A) is a method of measuring the opinions of a large group of people by selecting a subset of the larger group, asking them a set of questions and then generalizing those responses.
B) is created by tracking backward from a series of observed effects to determine the point of origin and source of those effects.
C) is created by charting interconnections between actors and tracking the links to demonstrate the development of social cause and effect.
D) is subject to the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle.
E) is created by identifying a minimum of eight points of correspondence between samples.

Question 48

Which of the following is not true of pseudo polls?

A) FRUGing is a type of pseudo poll.
B) SUGing is a type of pseudo poll.
C) Push Poll is a type of pseudo poll.
D) Pseudo polls are led by political campaigns and PACs.
E) Pseudo polls are a legitimate means of measuring public opinion.

Question 49

Which of the following, according to recent surveys, are more likely to be active voters?

A) Individuals with no formal schooling
B) College graduates with undergraduate degrees
C) High school graduates
D) High school dropouts
E) Those who did not complete high school but have stable work records

Question 50

In a scientifically drawn sample, as the sample size ____________ in respondents, the sample error ___________

A) increases; decreases
B) decreases; decreases
C) increases; increases
D) decreases; remains the same
E) increases; remains the same

Question 51

Which of the following is an example of a sampling error?

A) The questions contain a limited range of response options.
B) The person being surveyed has limited knowledge about the subject.
C) The question is poorly worded.
D) A particular group is omitted from a survey.
E) All of the above are true.

Question 52

__________ is often used by local news organizations and uses an automated voice system that will then ask poll questions to respondents.

A) An intercept poll
B) A self-selector listener opinion poll
C) A login poll
D) A computerized response audience poll
E) Random-Digit Dialing

Question 53

A scientific sample is

A) a group of representatives from the population who are chosen based on their understanding of the process.
B) a system that uses probability theory as a guide to selecting people from the population who will comprise the selected group.
C) a group of representatives from the population who have knowledge of scientific methods, thus creating a more reliable result.
D) a group of people intentionally and specifically selected from a population to be surveyed.
E) the study of political activists and the impact of political activity on character development.

Question 54

Studies have shown that heavy users of the news media, compared to lighter users, are

A) far more critical of democracy.
B) more inclined to support overthrow of the government.
C) more politically informed.
D) less likely to hold long-term jobs.
E) more apt to run for political office.

Question 55

An unscientific poll that gathers the opinions of people who are conveniently available in a particular gathering place is called

A) a straw poll.
B) an election.
C) a drill.
D) a public opinion poll.
E) a generalized public survey.

Question 56

Which of the following is NOT true of public opinion polls?

A) They have become an important method for gauging public opinion.
B) They provide information that elected leaders use in making public policy.
C) They provide an important way for public sentiment to influence public policy.
D) They have become the centerpiece for elections in the shaping of political strategy.
E) They are the only means of expressing public opinion.

Question 57

In recent years, members of political action committees and political parties have presented themselves as legitimate pollsters when, in fact, they have attempted to plant subtle facts in the minds of the respondents. These activities are referred to as

A) straw polls.
B) scientific polls.
C) pseudo-polls.
D) political filtering.
E) campaigning.

Question 58

College graduates

A) tend to be more likely to follow news and engage in political campaigns.
B) turn away from democracy and move towards other forms of government.
C) are less likely to vote.
D) disregard the news media.
E) avoid politics.

Question 59

Also known as a call-in poll, a(n) __________ is generally advertised on TV or radio shows and gives an 800 or 900 number for the audience to call in and express their opinions.

A) intercept poll
B) self-selector listener opinion poll
C) login poll
D) computerized response audience poll
E) random-digit dialing

Question 60

According to research done in the 1950s and 1960s, schools promote a positive attachment to democracy by

A) first grade.
B) third grade.
C) middle school.
D) high school.
E) college.

Question 61

Public opinion exists at three basic levels. List and describe these levels.

Question 62

Describe how presidents have attempted to use public opinion, from the early days of the nation to modern times.

Question 63

Define public opinion and discuss early efforts to measure it.

Question 64

Define a scientific poll. Define and explain the limitations on a scientific poll imposed by sample size, sampling error, random sampling, and confidence level.

Question 65

Fully explain the four basic values and beliefs that are widely accepted in American political culture: liberty, equality, individualism, and the rule of law.

Question 66

Discuss three ways in which an individual is influenced in the development of his or her political orientation. What groups, factors, or institutions are important in this development?

Question 67

The wording of polling questions can mean everything. Which of the following is a key recommendation in constructing good poll questions?

A) Avoid double negatives.
B) The questions should be leading so the interviewee can easily come to an answer.
C) Honesty must always be expected.
D) Double-barreled questions are a good way to get as many answers from one question as possible.
E) Questions can be as simple or as complicated as necessary.

Question 68

In interpreting public opinion data, which of the following is a key characteristic?

A) Direction
B) Intensity
C) Continuity
D) Options A, B, and C are true.
E) None of the above is true.

Question 69

What are some errors or oversights that may contribute to inaccurate interpretations of public opinion polls?

Question 70

Define each of the following characteristics of public opinion polling data: direction, intensity, and continuity. Explain the importance of each in interpreting the results of a public opinion poll.

Question 71

More Americans are getting political information from the Internet and from television shows like the Daily Show than ever before. At the same time, Americans' knowledge of politics is fairly low. Evaluate whether these two trends are related.

Question 72

What is meant by political socialization? What is meant by primacy tendency? Describe how political socialization by family, friends and peers, schools, media, and religion impact the opinions and preferences of an individual.

Question 73

Which term describes a characteristic of public opinion in which political preferences remain very stable over time?

A) Intensity
B) Direction
C) Continuity
D) Randomization
E) Generalization