Question 1

One advantage of direct contact between elected officials and the public versus the use of public opinion polls is that direct contact ______.

Accepted Answer

A)  allows Congress to talk to more people collectively than pollsters talk to when taking polls 
B)  makes it less likely that certain public concerns will be overlooked 
C)  is always more accurate than a poll 
D)  provides more representative samples of public opinion 
E)  requires less time than it takes to conduct polls 
A)  allows Congress to talk to more people collectively than pollsters talk to when taking polls 
B)  makes it less likely that certain public concerns will be overlooked 
C)  is always more accurate than a poll 
D)  provides more representative samples of public opinion 
E)  requires less time than it takes to conduct polls

Question 2

One concern about the wording of questions in polls is that the person being sampled will be unfamiliar with a subject and thereby ______.

Accepted Answer

A)  never participate in a poll again 
B)  inflate the "don't know" category, making the results meaningless 
C)  refuse to answer the question 
D)  be unlikely to finish the polling session 
E)  give responses solely based on cues picked up from the context of the interview or the question 
A)  never participate in a poll again 
B)  inflate the "don't know" category, making the results meaningless 
C)  refuse to answer the question 
D)  be unlikely to finish the polling session 
E)  give responses solely based on cues picked up from the context of the interview or the question

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the textbook as an agent of socialization?

Accepted Answer

A)  the family 
B)  the Internet 
C)  schools 
D)  peers 
E)  social groups 
A)  the family 
B)  the Internet 
C)  schools 
D)  peers 
E)  social groups

Question 4

Which of the following statements concerning the relationship between gender and public opinion is NOT true?

Accepted Answer

A)  Women now tend to vote at a slightly higher rate than men. 
B)  Men have become more conservative in recent years. 
C)  Women favor the death penalty 
D)  Women are more likely than men to be Democrats. 
E)  The opinion gap between men and women is particularly large on issues involving violence. 
A)  Women now tend to vote at a slightly higher rate than men. 
B)  Men have become more conservative in recent years. 
C)  Women favor the death penalty 
D)  Women are more likely than men to be Democrats. 
E)  The opinion gap between men and women is particularly large on issues involving violence.

Question 5

Education is a source of all of the following EXCEPT this:

Accepted Answer

A)  socialization 
B)  apathy 
C)  democratic enlightenment 
D)  democratic engagement 
E)  tolerance 
A)  socialization 
B)  apathy 
C)  democratic enlightenment 
D)  democratic engagement 
E)  tolerance

Question 6

The process by which citizens take their political cues from more well-informed opinion leaders is known as ______.

Accepted Answer

A)  the two-step flow of information 
B)  elite democracy 
C)  political socialization 
D)  on-line processing 
E)  rational ignorance 
A)  the two-step flow of information 
B)  elite democracy 
C)  political socialization 
D)  on-line processing 
E)  rational ignorance

Question 7

The process by which a majority opinion becomes exaggerated because minorities do not feel comfortable speaking out in opposition is called the spiral of silence.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

Which of the following statements concerning sampling bias is NOT true?

Accepted Answer

A)  Pollsters are often unaware of the problem of sampling bias. 
B)  The chief source of sampling bias today is nonresponse. 
C)  Changing patterns of telephone technology and use are part of the reason for sampling bias today. 
D)  Older women tend to be oversampled, whereas younger men tend to be undersampled. 
E)  Pollsters compensate for undersampling by the use of weighting. 
A)  Pollsters are often unaware of the problem of sampling bias. 
B)  The chief source of sampling bias today is nonresponse. 
C)  Changing patterns of telephone technology and use are part of the reason for sampling bias today. 
D)  Older women tend to be oversampled, whereas younger men tend to be undersampled. 
E)  Pollsters compensate for undersampling by the use of weighting.

Question 9

Defenders of exit polls argue that they are not intended to predict the winner of an election in progress.What do they say such polls are intended to do?

Accepted Answer

Exit polls are inten

Question 10

What two shortcuts to political knowledge are discussed in the text?

Accepted Answer

On-line processing a

Question 11

Sampling error refers to ______.

Accepted Answer

A)  a situation in which a sample is not representative of the larger universe being measured 
B)  mistakes made in the recording of responses in a poll 
C)  the number of mistakes made by a pollster 
D)  a situation in which question wording biases the results 
E)  a number that indicates within what range the results of a poll are accurate 
A)  a situation in which a sample is not representative of the larger universe being measured 
B)  mistakes made in the recording of responses in a poll 
C)  the number of mistakes made by a pollster 
D)  a situation in which question wording biases the results 
E)  a number that indicates within what range the results of a poll are accurate

Question 12

Internet polls are ______.

Accepted Answer

A)  unreliable 
B)  highly reliable 
C)  reliable if they are conducted by professional pollsters 
D)  reliable only if the right types of questions are asked 
E)  more reliable than exit polls or tracking polls 
A)  unreliable 
B)  highly reliable 
C)  reliable if they are conducted by professional pollsters 
D)  reliable only if the right types of questions are asked 
E)  more reliable than exit polls or tracking polls

Question 13

The relationship between sample size and sampling error is ______.

Accepted Answer

A)  the smaller the sample, the smaller the sampling error will be 
B)  the larger the sample, the smaller the sampling error will be 
C)  sampling error and poll size are unrelated 
D)  the wording of the poll questions will determine sampling error 
E)  sampling size and sampling error are related only if the poll contains sampling bias 
A)  the smaller the sample, the smaller the sampling error will be 
B)  the larger the sample, the smaller the sampling error will be 
C)  sampling error and poll size are unrelated 
D)  the wording of the poll questions will determine sampling error 
E)  sampling size and sampling error are related only if the poll contains sampling bias

Question 14

If you are to be a critical watcher of polls,among the issues of concern are all of the following EXCEPT this:

Accepted Answer

A)  Where's the data? 
B)  Does the poll agree with your position? 
C)  How are the questions worded? 
D)  Who sponsored the poll 
E)  What questions were asked? 
A)  Where's the data? 
B)  Does the poll agree with your position? 
C)  How are the questions worded? 
D)  Who sponsored the poll 
E)  What questions were asked?

Question 15

Compared to other industrialized nations,the United States ranks ______ in voter participation.

Accepted Answer

A)  near the bottom 
B)  in the top quarter 
C)  among the very highest 
D)  in the middle 
E)  about the same as most western European nations 
A)  near the bottom 
B)  in the top quarter 
C)  among the very highest 
D)  in the middle 
E)  about the same as most western European nations

Question 16

The collective decisions of citizens reflect a greater level of knowledge than public opinion polls reflect because of all of the following EXCEPT this:

Accepted Answer

A)  on-line processing 
B)  the desire to hide our real views from pollsters 
C)  the two-step flow of communication 
D)  reliance on opinion leaders 
E)  reasons for our opinions that we cannot articulate 
A)  on-line processing 
B)  the desire to hide our real views from pollsters 
C)  the two-step flow of communication 
D)  reliance on opinion leaders 
E)  reasons for our opinions that we cannot articulate

Question 17

Rational ignorance refers to ______.

Accepted Answer

A)  the belief that a lack of tolerance may be acceptable under certain circumstances 
B)  the state of being uninformed about politics because the cost in time and energy does not produce tangible or measurable results 
C)  voters realizing that they do not understand most political issues 
D)  the realization that politics is unimportant and has little impact on our lives, and thus, there is no need to participate 
E)  a person's desire to vote but not to become informed 
A)  the belief that a lack of tolerance may be acceptable under certain circumstances 
B)  the state of being uninformed about politics because the cost in time and energy does not produce tangible or measurable results 
C)  voters realizing that they do not understand most political issues 
D)  the realization that politics is unimportant and has little impact on our lives, and thus, there is no need to participate 
E)  a person's desire to vote but not to become informed

Question 18

According to the text,the current process of political socialization in the United States ______.

Accepted Answer

A)  teaches us tolerance for the political values of other nations 
B)  trains us to support and obey the existing political system 
C)  teaches us to think independently and critically 
D)  is the primary function of a college education 
E)  has no legitimate function 
A)  teaches us tolerance for the political values of other nations 
B)  trains us to support and obey the existing political system 
C)  teaches us to think independently and critically 
D)  is the primary function of a college education 
E)  has no legitimate function

Question 19

Which of the following statements concerning the relationship between age and opinions is NOT true?

Accepted Answer

A)  People tend to become more politically engaged as they become middle aged and older. 
B)  Groups of citizens of the same age can be shaped by the same political events. 
C)  People tend to become more conservative as they age. 
D)  Young people are more likely to be influenced by current political trends. 
E)  As older generations die, overall opinions in the population change. 
A)  People tend to become more politically engaged as they become middle aged and older. 
B)  Groups of citizens of the same age can be shaped by the same political events. 
C)  People tend to become more conservative as they age. 
D)  Young people are more likely to be influenced by current political trends. 
E)  As older generations die, overall opinions in the population change.

Question 20

Why is sample bias problematic?

Accepted Answer

If a sample is biased,then the

One advantage of direct contact between elected officials and the public versus the use of public opinion polls is that direct contact ______.

One concern about the wording of questions in polls is that the person being sampled will be unfamiliar with a subject and thereby ______.

Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the textbook as an agent of socialization?

Which of the following statements concerning the relationship between gender and public opinion is NOT true?

Education is a source of all of the following EXCEPT this:

The process by which citizens take their political cues from more well-informed opinion leaders is known as ______.

The process by which a majority opinion becomes exaggerated because minorities do not feel comfortable speaking out in opposition is called the spiral of silence.

Which of the following statements concerning sampling bias is NOT true?

Defenders of exit polls argue that they are not intended to predict the winner of an election in progress.What do they say such polls are intended to do?

What two shortcuts to political knowledge are discussed in the text?

Sampling error refers to ______.

Internet polls are ______.

The relationship between sample size and sampling error is ______.

If you are to be a critical watcher of polls,among the issues of concern are all of the following EXCEPT this:

Compared to other industrialized nations,the United States ranks ______ in voter participation.

The collective decisions of citizens reflect a greater level of knowledge than public opinion polls reflect because of all of the following EXCEPT this:

Rational ignorance refers to ______.

According to the text,the current process of political socialization in the United States ______.

Which of the following statements concerning the relationship between age and opinions is NOT true?

Why is sample bias problematic?

Politics: Who Gets What, and How?

American Citizens and Political Culture

Politics of the American Founding

Federalism and the U.S.Constitution

Fundamental American Liberties

The Struggle for Equal Rights

Congress

The Presidency

The Bureaucracy

The American Legal System and the Courts

Political Parties

Interest Groups

Voting, Campaigns, and Elections

The Media

Social and Environmental Policy

Economic Policy

Foreign Policy

Filters

Exam 11: Public Opinion

One advantage of direct contact between elected officials and the public versus the use of public opinion polls is that direct contact ______.

One concern about the wording of questions in polls is that the person being sampled will be unfamiliar with a subject and thereby ______.

Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the textbook as an agent of socialization?

Which of the following statements concerning the relationship between gender and public opinion is NOT true?

Education is a source of all of the following EXCEPT this:

The process by which citizens take their political cues from more well-informed opinion leaders is known as ______.

The process by which a majority opinion becomes exaggerated because minorities do not feel comfortable speaking out in opposition is called the spiral of silence.

Which of the following statements concerning sampling bias is NOT true?

Defenders of exit polls argue that they are not intended to predict the winner of an election in progress.What do they say such polls are intended to do?

What two shortcuts to political knowledge are discussed in the text?

Sampling error refers to ______.

Internet polls are ______.

The relationship between sample size and sampling error is ______.

If you are to be a critical watcher of polls,among the issues of concern are all of the following EXCEPT this:

Compared to other industrialized nations,the United States ranks ______ in voter participation.

The collective decisions of citizens reflect a greater level of knowledge than public opinion polls reflect because of all of the following EXCEPT this:

Rational ignorance refers to ______.

According to the text,the current process of political socialization in the United States ______.

Which of the following statements concerning the relationship between age and opinions is NOT true?

Why is sample bias problematic?

Politics: Who Gets What, and How?

American Citizens and Political Culture

Politics of the American Founding

Federalism and the U.S.Constitution

Fundamental American Liberties

The Struggle for Equal Rights

Congress

The Presidency

The Bureaucracy

The American Legal System and the Courts

Political Parties

Interest Groups

Voting, Campaigns, and Elections

The Media

Social and Environmental Policy

Economic Policy

Foreign Policy

Filters