Exam 10: Public Opinion and Political Socialization

During his campaign for reelection in 2012,Barack Obama deemphasized his work on health care reform.Which of the following reasons is the most plausible explanation for this decision,given what you know about the interaction between public opinion and policy and politics?

The process through which individuals acquire their beliefs about politics is known as __________.

Consider this question on a public opinion poll: "Would you be more or less likely to support Mitch McConnell's reelection if you learned that he has a history of drunk driving and spousal abuse?" Evaluate whether this question is typical of the types of questions found on push polls.

"If you knew that Candidate X cheated on her taxes,would you vote for her?" is a question typical of __________.

__________ is defined as what the public thinks about a particular issue or set of issues at any point in time.

Why is intensity of feeling an important factor to take into consideration when assessing the shortcomings of polling?

Tracking polls help candidates __________.

The value of hard work and personal responsibility are rooted in America's __________.

"Feeling thermometer" questions ask respondents how they feel about a particular issue by __________.

George Gallup believed that __________.This belief continues to be common today.