1. Chapter 6 Review

2. Introduction Public Opinion
The distribution of the population’s beliefs about politics and policy issues
Political Culture
An overall set of values widely shared within a society

3. Studying the Population
Demography
The science of population changes
Census
Every 10 years
Reapportionment
The process of reallocating seats in the House
Minority Majority
Emergence of a non-Caucasian majority by 2045
White Americans will be outnumbered by the combined minority groups in America

4. The American Melting Pot
US has a long history of immigration
Melting Pot: the mixing of cultures, ideas, and peoples that has changed the American nation
Or salad bowl?

5. Reapportionment Impact of the Census
After every census, the number of representatives in each state may change
If a state loses population, it can lose representatives
Reapportionment: The process of reallocating seats in the House of Representatives based on the results of the census

6. Political Socialization
The process through which an individual acquires views on politics
The Process of Political Socialization
The Family
Political leanings of children often mirror their parents’ leanings
The Mass Media
Chief source of information as children age
Generation gap is viewing television news
School
Used by government to socialize young into political culture
Better-educated citizens are more likely to vote and are more knowledgeable about politics and policy.

7. Measuring Public Opinion
How Opinion Polls Are Conducted
Sample: a small proportion of people who are chosen in a survey to be representative of the whole
Random Sampling: the key technique employed by sophisticated survey researchers which operates on the principle that everyone should have an equal probability of being selected for the sample
Sampling Error: the level of confidence in the findings of a public opinion poll
Random-digit dialing: polls that are conducted over the telephone.

8. The Role of Polls in American Democracy
Polls help politicians detect public preferences.
Critics say polls make politicians think more about following than leading public
The wording of the questions on opinion polls may affect survey results
Polls may distort election process
Exit Polls: used by the media to predict election day winners
May discourage people from voting
2000 presidential election in Florida

9. Political Ideologies Political Ideology:
A coherent set of beliefs about politics, public policy, and public purpose
Who Are the Liberals and Conservatives?
Gender gap: women tend to be less conservative than men
Ideological variation by religion too

10. What Americans Value: Political Ideologies

11. How Americans Participate in Politics
Political Participation: all the activities used by citizens to influence the selection of political leaders or the policies they pursue
Conventional Participation
Voting in elections
Working in campaigns or running for office
Contacting elected officials

12. How Americans Participate in Politics
Protest as Participation
Protest: a form of political participation designed to achieve policy changes through dramatic and unconventional tactics
Civil disobedience: a form of political participation that reflects a conscious decision to break a law believed to be immoral and to suffer the consequences

13. Reapportionment of seats in the House of Representatives occurs
Every four years after a presidential election
When the minority party wins a majority in the House
After every four congressional election years
Every ten years as a result of the census report
When the president requests it through an executive order

14. Which of the following factors has a significant influence over the accuracy of a political poll?
The wording of the questions
The number of people in the sample
The age of the people in the sample
The number of questions asked
The geographic distribution of the people in the sample

15. All of the following influence the way citizens form their political beliefs EXCEPT
Schooling
The family
Religion
The mass media
State of residence

16. One reason that minority groups are more likely to favor liberal policies is that they
Have highly developed political knowledge
Typically pay more in federal income taxes
Have benefited from federal social programs in the past
Have a greater distrust of government
Usually belong to a high socioeconomic class

17. Conservatives are likely to endorse all of the following EXCEPT
The right to life
Tax cuts
Deregulation of the economic sector
Welfare programs
Defense spending

18. Politicians usually pay attention to public opinion as reported in polls in order to
Decide whether to change party affiliation
Shape their platform for the next election
Form coalitions in Congress
Know if they should run for reelection
Solicit campaign contributions

19. According to the prediction of the gender gap, women are more likely to
Vote for a Democratic candidate
Support military spending
Vote for an Independent candidate
Disapprove of increased social spending
Vote for a Republican candidate

20. Senior citizens are the most politically active age group of Americans for which of the following reasons?
They have more experiences from which to form their political beliefs and reinforce their ideology
They have more disposable income with which they can influence politicians through campaign contributions
They are the largest age group, and therefore they form a majority
Enrollment programs such as Social Security require recipients to vote
I only
III only
I and III only
II and IV only
II, III and IV only

21. Which of the following would occur if a minority majority developed in the electorate?
Hispanic Americans would outnumber African Americans
Female conservatives would outnumber male conservatives
Asian Americans would outnumber Hispanic Americans
Voters under the age of 30 would outnumber senior citizens
The minority population would outnumber the Caucasian population

22. Young Americans are the least politically active group for all of the following reasons EXCEPT
They have little political experience
They are not likely to watch the news or read newspapers
They have been taught to distrust the government
They have not developed a sense of what they need from government
They have not witnessed the impact of governmental policies