Public Opinion & Political Ideology

Public Opinion & Political Ideology

Multiple Choice

According to research by Jacobs and Shapiro, politicians use public opinion polls to __________.

• tell them how to vote on legislation

• determine what policies to pursue

• identify centrist approaches to public policy

• shape their messages to the public

Open Ended

Why is the information on the previous slide critical?

Multiple Choice

According to Russell Neuman, the “paradox of mass politics” is that the American political system works as well as it does despite __________.

• the public’s lack of knowledge about politics

• the public’s lack of consensus on matters of public policy

• the growing polarization of public opinion

• politicians’ overreliance on public opinion polls

Open Ended

Define Public Opinion

Open Ended

Describe one factor that may influence an individual forming an opinion about public policy.

Multiple Choice

A poll that takes place as voters leave the primary election is

• a push poll

• a straw poll

• a random sampling poll

• an exit poll

Multiple Choice

What technique is the key to the accuracy of public opinion polls?

• indexing

• font selection

• random sampling

• in-person interviews

Open Ended

Choose 1 of the scenarios on the previous slide and decide if its a problem. Be sure to explain your answer.

Open Ended

Describe what the polls in the table measure.

Multiple Choice

According to research by Jacobs and Shapiro, politicians use public opinion polls to __________.

• tell them how to vote on legislation

• determine what policies to pursue

• identify centrist approaches to public policy

• shape their messages to the public

Open Ended

Describe one way in which public opinion may shape the policy making process.

Multiple Choice

What is political socialization?

• All the people who might be interest group members because they share the same common interest.
• The process through which an individual acquires his/her particular orientations - his/her knowledge, feelings, and evaluations regarding his/her political world.
• How similar cases have been decided in the past.
• The distribution of the population's beliefs about politics and policy issues.

Poll

IS healthcare a right or a privilege?

• right

• privilege

Open Ended

why do you think its a right or a privilege?

Multiple Choice

The third agent of political socialization in the U.S. is __________, namely the primary and secondary school system.

• education

• economics

• media preference

• religion

Multiple Choice

The second major influence on political ideology is __________, which in this case, refer to one's race, gender, religion, or ethnicity. Obviously, these are generalizations, but certain __________ tend to fall predictably into liberal or conservative camps.

• social groups

• educational status

• economic status

• occupational groups

Multiple Choice

The first and most important source of our politics is __________. This makes a lot of sense since kids either want to emulate their parents or reject their ideas.

• family

• media

• ethnicity

• gender

Multiple Choice

If conservatives value liberty... liberals cherish ___________ as their primary political virtue, and ... see government as a necessary agent in promoting ______________.

• equality

• personality

• ownership

• conflict

Multiple Choice

[Liberals] support government intervention in the ___________, both in the form of regulations and higher taxes, especially when that intervention benefits historically marginalized groups like minorities, women, and the poor.

• economy

• foreign policy

• state government

• private lives of citizens

Multiple Choice

[Liberals believe] that protection of the environment, aiding the poor, and expanding civil liberties all cost money, so we usually favor a progressive tax system with higher taxes on the __________________.

• wealthy and corporations

• public education system

• working class

• foreign imports

Multiple Choice

In general, American liberals believe that ___________ can help solve problems, and a bigger __________, like a glorious soaring eagle can solve bigger problems and more of them.

• government

• public education

• mental health awareness

• corporations

Multiple Choice

Lately, a number of [liberals] are trying to re-brand [themselves] as ____________ although this is a little tricky given that, historically, __________ and liberals aren't the same thing.

• progressives

• socialists

• constitutionalists

• moderates

Multiple Choice

If there's one value that American conservatives privilege above others, it's ___________. America is a country of freedom, and in most cases, government is more of a threat to ____________ than a protector of it.

• liberty

• equality

• economics

• politics

Multiple Choice

The social sphere is where [conservatives] differ significantly from ____________ who don't see any role for government in people's personal lives.

• libertarians

• communists

• nihilists

• existentialists

Multiple Choice

American conservatives usually support a strong defense. This is one place where (they) generally don't think spending should be cut. Most other programs, the things that fall under discretionary spending, can and should be left up to the ____________.

• private sector

• state government

• local government

• public schools

Multiple Choice

For the most part, American conservatives believe in the _____________ and that it will provide the greatest economic opportunity and benefit to the greatest number of people.

• free market

• social welfare

• law of supply and demand

• iron wage principle

Multiple Choice

Taking a cue from anti-federalists, American _____________ believe that a large government poses a threat to individual liberty, and we prefer our national government to be as small as possible.

• conservatives

• libertarians

• liberals

• constitutionalists

Multiple Choice

Taking a cue from anti-federalists, American _____________ believe that a large government poses a threat to individual liberty, and we prefer our national government to be as small as possible.

• conservatives

• libertarians

• liberals

• constitutionalists

Multiple Choice

When it comes to welfare, conservatives ____, and liberals ____.

• encourage self-reliance (being able to support yourself); favor government assistance 
• favor government assistance programs; support self-reliance (being able to support yourself)
• are completely against welfare; fully support government assistance for all
• favor assistance for the elderly; favor assistance for all

Multiple Choice

When it comes to immigration, conservatives want to ____ immigration laws and liberals want to ____ immigration laws.

• strengthen; loosen 
• loosen; strengthen
• eliminate; advocate
• keep; get rid of 

Multiple Choice

When it comes to the economy and taxes, conservatives want ___ and liberals want ___.

• lower taxes and less government involvement; higher taxes on wealthy and more government involvement 
• higher taxes on middle class and more government regulation; lower taxes and less government regulation
• full government regulation; minimal government regulation
• control of economy by corporations; control of economy by citizens

Multiple Choice

Associated with conservatives, this political party holds onto its traditional values. They favor lower tax rates and believe the government should play less of a role in the lives of its citizens.

• Democrat
• Republican
• Reactionary
• Radical

Multiple Choice

Associated with liberals, this political party has a more progressive ideology. They believe the government should play a more active role in the lives of its citizens.

• Democrats
• Republicans
• Reactionary
• Radical

Multiple Choice

This group likes to hold on to old traditions and ideas and does not want to change or reform anything in relation to politics and religion.

• Liberals

• Libertarian

• Reactionary

• Conservatives

Multiple Choice

Government should be actively involved in promotion of the social welfare of nation's citizens

• Conservative

• Moderate

• Socialist

• Liberal

• Authoritarian

Multiple Select

Phil believes that people who are able to work should get jobs, and if they choose not to, they should not expect to get assistance from the rest of society, and especially not from the government which is too involved in our lives anyway.

• Conservative

• Liberal

• Libertarian

Multiple Choice

Alex is concerned about certain harmful chemicals in the water supply. There is a big power plant a few miles away and he worries about what kinds of chemicals it might be putting into the air and water. He sits down at his computer to email his representatives in Congress about his concerns, and thinks a lot more should be done to make sure more restrictions are put on those kinds of plants.

• Conservative

• Liberal

• Libertarian

Multiple Choice

Wanda is active in the church and very religious. She works in her church to help the indigent and supports a candidate in the upcoming election who wants to increase taxes on businesses to help pay for shelters for the homeless and abused women.

• Conservative

• Liberal

• Libertarian

Multiple Choice

Which is true of a good random sample for a public opinion poll?

• All the people in the sample are opinionated
• It excludes people who do not belong to a political party
• It is limited to people who follow the news.
• It represents the variety of the whole population.

Multiple Choice

A set of ideas, beliefs... about how government should operate and how much government should be involved in our day to day lives.

• Political Ideology

• Political Party

• Political Spectrum

• Two Party System

Open Ended

Describe the viewpoint expressed in the picture above.