Scientific efforts to estimate what an entire group thinks about an issue by asking a smaller sample of the group for its opinion

Narrative of the founding of the country and the values that support it and deserve loyalty

The process by which we learn our political orientations and allegiances

A strong emotional attachment to one's political community

The process by which a majority opinion becomes exaggerated because minorities do not fell comfortable speaking out in opposition

Deep and consistent cleavage in American politics

The tendency of men and women to differ in their political views on some issues

The tendency of married and unmarried people to differ in their political views on some issues

Groups of citizens whose political views have been shaped by the common events of their youth

Sets of ideas about politics, the economy, and society that help us deal with the political world

Faith in government action to bring about equitable outcomes and social tolerance

Preference for limited government and traditional social values

Relatively enduring allegiances to one of the major political parties

The process through which citizens align themselves ideologically with one of the two parties, leaving fewer citizens remaining in the center and increasing party polarization

Loyalty to a party driven by hatred of the other party

A citizen's ability to hold democratic beliefs, including the idea that politics is about compromise and that sometimes the needs of the whole community will conflict with and override one's individual preferences

Citizens' ability to understand their own interests and how to pursue those interests in politics

Importance of traditional religion

Sample chosen in such a way that any member of population being polled has an equal chance of being selected

The effect of having a sample that does not represent all segments of the population

A skewing of data that occurs when there is a difference in opinion between those who choose to participate and those why do not

Adjustments to surveys during analysis so that selected demographic groups reflect their values in the population, usually as measured by the census

A number that indicates within what range the results of a poll are accurate

An initial poll on a candidate and issues on which campaign strategy is based and against which later polls are compared

An ongoing series of surveys that follow changes in public opinion over time

Election-related questions asked of voters right after they vote

Polls that ask for reactions to hypothetical, often false, information in order to manipulate public opinion

Study of racial attitudes and the influence of question framing

The state of being uninformed about politics because of the cost in time and energy

The ability to receive and evaluate information as events happen, allowing us to remember our evolution even if we have forgotten

The process by which citizens take their political cues from more well-informed opinion leaders

People who know more about certain topics than we do and whose advice we trust, seek out, and follow

A group of citizens united by ideology and seeking control of government in order to promote their ideas and policies

An organization of individuals who share a common political goal and unite for the purpose of influencing government does

Loyalty to a political cause or party

The process of getting a person elected to public office

The formal party gathering to choose candidates

party members who have been elected to serve in government

Activities directed toward controlling the distribution of political resources by providing executive and legislative leadership, enacting agendas, mobilizing support, and building coalitions

ordinary citizens who identify with the party

voter affiliation with a political party

members of a political party who consistently vote for that party;s candidates

Party government when four conditions are met: clear choice of ideologies, candidates pledged to implement ideas, party held accountable by voters, and party control over members

Mass-based party systems in which parties provided services and resources to voters in exchange for votes

Party leaders, usually in an urban district, who exercised tight control over electioneering and patronage

A system in which successful party candidates reward supporters with jobs or favors

An election in which party candidates are nominated by registered party members rather than party bosses

Extended periods of relative political stability in which one party tends to control both the presidency and Congress

A substantial and long-term shift in party allegiance by individuals and groups, usually resulting in a change in policy direction

A trend among voters to identify themselves as independent rather than as members of a major party

A commitment to party so strong that it can transcend other commitments

A list of policy positions a party endorses and pledges its elected officials to enact

The "party faithful"; the rank-and file members who carry out the party's electioneering efforts

Loyalty to party driven by hatred of the other party

Interest group activities aimed at persuading policymakers to support the group's positions

People who refuse to spend time, money, or effort on the collective solution because they can reap the benefits whether they join or not

A good or service that, by its very nature, cannot be denied to anyone who wants to consume it

Benefits that are available only to group members as an inducement to get them to join

Selective incentives in the form of tangible rewards

Selective incentives related to the interaction and bonding among group members

Selective incentives that derive from the opportunity to express values and beliefs and to be committed to a greater cause

Groups that organize to influence government policy for the economic benefit of their members

Groups that organize to promote the civil and economic rights of underrepresented or disadvantaged groups

Groups that organize to influence government to produce collective goods or services that benefit the general public

Groups that organize to represent foreign or domestic governments, and to lobby Congress and the president on their behalf

Direct interaction with public officials for the purpose of influencing policy decisions

Attempts to influence government policymakers by encouraging the general public to put pressure on them

The tendency of public officials, journalists, and lobbyists to move between public- and private-sector (media, lobbying) jobs

The fundraising arms of interest groups

Advertisements that support issues or candidates without telling constituents how to vote

Public activities designed to bring attention to political causes, usually generated by those without access to conventional means of expressing their views

Indirect lobbying efforts that spring from widespread public concern

Indirect lobbying efforts that manipulate or create public sentiment, "astroturf" being artificial grassroots