Deck 10: Public Opinion

Question 1

In what sense can answering a political survey be considered a form of political action?

A)Pollsters typically finish their polls by transferring citizens to the phones of officeholders.
B)Surveys conducted by political parties include the option of voting absentee over the phone.
C)Responding to a survey provides an opportunity for citizens to converse about political topics in a meaningful way.
D)Not answering a poll is a common form of civil disobedience.
E)Surveys often communicate public opinion to politicians so they can respond to their constituents' views.

Answer 1

E

Question 2

A person's desire to increase his or her real disposable income is an example of a

A)dogma.
B)belief.
C)choice.
D)preference.
E)vice.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Rather than a deeply polarized America, what did political scientists Morris Fiorina, Jeremy Pope, and Sam Abrams find in their research?

A)a homogeneously conservative public but a divided Congress
B)a largely centrist public but a divided Congress
C)a largely centrist public but a liberal Congress
D)a largely conservative public but a liberal Congress
E)a largely liberal public but a conservative Congress

Answer 3

B

Question 4

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 5

What is one way citizens usually express the intensity of their preferences on an issue?

A)donating money to candidates and groups on both sides of the issue to ensure a full public debate
B)refusing to participate in polls on the issue that treat their views as equivalent to those of other citizens
C)buying up votes from other citizens to cast for a preferred candidate
D)taking political action like protesting or volunteering for a campaign
E)starting a new political party devoted to advancing a single policy position

Question 6

The term used to denote the aggregation of many citizens' views and interests is

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

Question 7

Of these options, which is the most common form of communication between citizens and legislators?

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

Question 8

Membership in social groups affects public opinion

A)when membership is voluntary only.
B)when membership is involuntary only.
C)if a person's family is in the same group only.
D)for neither voluntary nor involuntary groups.
E)for both voluntary and involuntary groups.

Question 9

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 10

What is the difference between preferences and beliefs?

A)Beliefs are based on correct knowledge about the world, and preferences are based on the way we think the world works.
B)Preferences reflect what people know, and beliefs reflect what people want.
C)Beliefs reflect people's views on moral issues, and preferences reflect people's views on economic issues.
D)Preferences reflect people's views on moral issues, and beliefs reflect people's views on economic issues.
E)Beliefs reflect what people know, and preferences reflect what people want.

Question 11

__________ represent what people know and how they understand the world and the consequences of their actions.

A)Beliefs
B)Doctrines
C)Preferences
D)Abstractions
E)Aspirations

Question 12

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

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

Question 13

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 14

On which two levels should one understand public opinion?

A)ideology and age
B)state and local
C)race and gender
D)party and gender
E)aggregate and individual

Question 15

Which agency tracks the American population's housing, family status, employment, and demographic characteristics?

A)Labor Department
B)Central Intelligence Agency
C)National Population Bureau
D)Census Bureau
E)Office of Management and Budget.

Question 16

Which theorem claims that the sum of many votes produces a better outcome than the decision of one or a small number of individuals?

A)Condorcet's jury theorem
B)the median voter theorem
C)the majority rule theorem
D)Arrow's impossibility theorem
E)the Riker paradox

Question 17

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

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

Question 18

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

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

Question 19

From which source do most people acquire their initial orientation to politics?

A)families
B)exposure to news media
C)educational background
D)membership in social groups
E)popular music

Question 20

An individual's view about President Obama's handling of the economy is an example of a political

A)belief.
B)dogma.
C)doctrine.
D)ideology.
E)expression.

Question 21

Research studies have suggested that party preferences are initially acquired at

A)work.
B)home.
C)school.
D)church.
E)summer camp.

Question 22

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

A)target and destroy family members of the hijackers.
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 23

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

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

Question 24

For conservatives, the most important core value is

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

Question 25

Today, someone who generally favors expansion of federal social services is known as a

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

Question 26

For liberals, the most important core value is

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

Question 27

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 28

To indicate that he favored programs that assist the poor and needy, what did Republican George W.Bush call himself?

A)a neoliberal
B)a Christian progressive
C)a right-wing social reformer
D)a compassionate conservative
E)a pragmatic progressive

Question 29

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 30

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 31

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 32

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 33

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 34

Which landmark 1965 law led to a change in the racial and ethnic composition of Congress?

A)the Help America Vote Act
B)the Voting Rights Act
C)the Higher Education Act
D)the National Highway Act
E)the Medicare Act

Question 35

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 36

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 37

Which term best describes the set of underlying orientations, ideas, and beliefs through which an individual understands and interprets politics?

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

Question 38

In today's terms, someone who generally supports political and social reform is known as a

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

Question 39

An employer's using her position of power to influence how others in her social group behave is an example of which of the following?

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

Question 40

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.

Question 41

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 42

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 43

Which of the following explains why high-income African Americans are more apt 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 44

According to political scientist Larry Bartels, lower-class citizens who favor tax cuts for the rich are an example of

A)misplaced self-interest.
B)aspirational motivation.
C)illusory economic stratification.
D)socioeconomic class refraction.
E)greedy ignorance.

Question 45

According to the text, 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 46

How many Americans devote sufficient time and attention to politics to understand most of the issues on the contemporary political agenda?

A)none
B)few
C)many
D)all
E)more than necessary

Question 47

A method used by pollsters to select a representative sample in which every individual in the population has an equal probability of being selected as a participant is called

A)random digit dialing.
B)probability sampling.
C)selection sampling.
D)representative registry.
E)democratic sampling.

Question 48

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 difference
B)heightened scrutiny
C)gender gap
D)realism
E)protectionism

Question 49

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 50

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 are often mobilized by civil rights organizations, such as the NAACP.
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 51

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 Latino school superintendent

Question 52

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 53

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

A)ensuring his reelection.
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)responding to political scandals.

Question 54

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 55

The 1936 Literary Digest fiasco in which a poll that did not use random sampling predicted that Alf Landon would be elected president is an example of a

A)quota failure.
B)random error.
C)selection bias.
D)skewed population.
E)media bias.

Question 56

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 57

Why do people take political cues from others rather than studying 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 58

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 spokespersons 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 issues management

Question 59

When people vote for elected officials based on a shared identity like race or ethnicity, political scientists refer to this situation as

A)socialization.
B)polarization.
C)descriptive representation.
D)selection bias.
E)electoral accountability.

Question 60

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 61

Abundant evidence makes it clear that the citizens of the United States are rather polarized in their political views.

Question 62

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

Question 63

Preferences and beliefs are synonymous.

Question 64

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

Question 65

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

Question 66

Surveys often seek to evaluate support for public policies.

Question 67

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

Question 68

__________ is the term for a scientific instrument for measuring what the general population thinks about issues and politics.

A)Vox populi
B)Popular experiment
C)Instagram-like meters
D)Public opinion poll
E)Twitter poll

Question 69

The failure to identify the true distribution of opinion within a population because of errors in the survey, such as poorly worded questions, is called a __________ error.

A)random
B)measurement
C)push-polling
D)respondent
E)structural

Question 70

For polls of citizens of the United States to be accurate, a typical poll size would be __________ respondents.

A)30
B)100
C)1,000
D)5,000
E)10,000

Question 71

One concern with random digit dialing is that this process is less likely to reach people on the do-not-call list or people who only use cell phones.This could give rise to

A)sample selection bias.
B)a rigged system.
C)ex ante weighting.
D)incomplete populations.
E)extraordinary sampling.

Question 72

Expressions of public opinion are easy to interpret.

Question 73

Surveys often seek to evaluate current circumstances.

Question 74

Preferences reflect what people know and how they understand the world and the consequences of their actions.

Question 75

The majority of a jury will more likely reach the correct decision than a single individual who hears the same evidence will.

Question 76

Surveys often seek to evaluate government officials and institutions.

Question 77

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

Question 78

Preferences are based on what people want.

Question 79

Instead of surveying the entire population, survey polls ask a randomly selected subset of the population known as a

A)representative group.
B)deliberative faction.
C)target population.
D)focus group.
E)sample.

Question 80

According to Page and Shapiro, public opinion at the aggregate level moves predictably in response to changing political, economic, and social circumstances and is indeed rational primarily because

A)opinion leaders have a disproportionate effect on other citizens.
B)the random errors in individual responses cancel each other out.
C)public opinion is ultimately shaped by how the media frame issues.
D)most respondents are politically aware and act in their own self-interests.
E)most polls are written so that respondents are guided to the expected answer.