Question 1

Research into public opinion and public policy has shown that

Accepted Answer

A)  every citizen has an equally strong influence over politics and public policy decisions. 
B)  more affluent and more educated citizens have a disproportionate influence over politics and public-policy decisions. 
C)  less affluent and less educated citizens have a disproportionate influence over politics and public policy decisions. 
D)  nonvoters have a disproportionate influence over politics and public policy decisions. 
E)  the opinions of members of the public have no influence whatsoever over politics and public policy decisions. 
A)  every citizen has an equally strong influence over politics and public policy decisions. 
B)  more affluent and more educated citizens have a disproportionate influence over politics and public-policy decisions. 
C)  less affluent and less educated citizens have a disproportionate influence over politics and public policy decisions. 
D)  nonvoters have a disproportionate influence over politics and public policy decisions. 
E)  the opinions of members of the public have no influence whatsoever over politics and public policy decisions.

Question 2

When George W. Bush supporters called conservative white voters during the 2000 South Carolina Republican primary to ask if they would be more or less likely to vote for John McCain if they knew that he had fathered an illegitimate black child, it was an example of

Accepted Answer

A)  a push poll. 
B)  a bandwagon poll. 
C)  a saliency illusion. 
D)  a selection bias. 
E)  a nonresponse bias. 
A)  a push poll. 
B)  a bandwagon poll. 
C)  a saliency illusion. 
D)  a selection bias. 
E)  a nonresponse bias.

Question 3

Each of the following is a liberal organization except

Accepted Answer

A)  the Sierra Club. 
B)  the National Organization for Women. 
C)  World Wildlife Federation. 
D)  the Chamber of Commerce. 
E)  Friends of the Earth. 
A)  the Sierra Club. 
B)  the National Organization for Women. 
C)  World Wildlife Federation. 
D)  the Chamber of Commerce. 
E)  Friends of the Earth.

Question 4

A survey of 1,000 people can be effective for measuring the opinions of all Americans.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

The process by which underlying political values are formed is known as

Accepted Answer

A)  political socialization. 
B)  ideological education. 
C)  brainwashing. 
D)  value enhancing. 
E)  attitudinal evolution. 
A)  political socialization. 
B)  ideological education. 
C)  brainwashing. 
D)  value enhancing. 
E)  attitudinal evolution.

Question 6

The belief that government is a wasteful and dangerous institution and should be limited to as few activities as possible is an example of a political

Accepted Answer

A)  culture. 
B)  value. 
C)  ideology. 
D)  truism. 
E)  interest. 
A)  culture. 
B)  value. 
C)  ideology. 
D)  truism. 
E)  interest.

Question 7

A political ideology is best defined as

Accepted Answer

A)  the specific preferences individuals contemplate while discussing an issue. 
B)  the basic principles that shape particular attitudes. 
C)  a cohesive set of beliefs that form a general philosophy about the government. 
D)  the concrete interests that people try to defend through public policy. 
E)  the various attitudes that citizens possess toward political issues, events, and people. 
A)  the specific preferences individuals contemplate while discussing an issue. 
B)  the basic principles that shape particular attitudes. 
C)  a cohesive set of beliefs that form a general philosophy about the government. 
D)  the concrete interests that people try to defend through public policy. 
E)  the various attitudes that citizens possess toward political issues, events, and people.

Question 8

Which of the following statements best describes perceptions of racism among blacks and whites?

Accepted Answer

A)  Blacks are more likely than whites to believe that racism is very common in the United States today. 
B)  Whites are more likely than blacks to believe that racism is very common in the United States today. 
C)  Large majorities of both blacks and whites believe there is no racism in the United States today. 
D)  Large majorities of both blacks and whites believe racism is very common in the United States today. 
E)  Large majorities of both blacks and whites have no opinion on whether racism is common in the United States today. 
A)  Blacks are more likely than whites to believe that racism is very common in the United States today. 
B)  Whites are more likely than blacks to believe that racism is very common in the United States today. 
C)  Large majorities of both blacks and whites believe there is no racism in the United States today. 
D)  Large majorities of both blacks and whites believe racism is very common in the United States today. 
E)  Large majorities of both blacks and whites have no opinion on whether racism is common in the United States today.

Question 9

Political ideologies do not always provide us with a clear opinion on particular policies.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

Cell phones and caller ID have dramatically reduced the problem of selection bias in public opinion surveys.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

Studies of political opinion show that

Accepted Answer

A)  few individuals possess ideologies so cohesive that they will automatically shape all their opinions. 
B)  people's ideologies guide them toward formulating an opinion on almost all political issues. 
C)  people understand their keen interests with or without political knowledge. 
D)  most Americans are ardently concerned with how their government works. 
E)  most Americans have no conflicting attitudes about politics and remain consistently liberal or conservative their entire lives. 
A)  few individuals possess ideologies so cohesive that they will automatically shape all their opinions. 
B)  people's ideologies guide them toward formulating an opinion on almost all political issues. 
C)  people understand their keen interests with or without political knowledge. 
D)  most Americans are ardently concerned with how their government works. 
E)  most Americans have no conflicting attitudes about politics and remain consistently liberal or conservative their entire lives.

Question 12

The fact that Democratic Party leaders have become more liberal and Republican Party leaders more conservative is important because

Accepted Answer

A)  it has made the gender gap much smaller. 
B)  it has significantly decreased the illusion of saliency in polling. 
C)  it has significantly increased the illusion of saliency in polling. 
D)  partisans in the public tend to rely on party leaders for cues on the appropriate positions to take on major political issues. 
E)  partisans in the public no longer rely on party leaders for cues on the appropriate positions to take on major political issues. 
A)  it has made the gender gap much smaller. 
B)  it has significantly decreased the illusion of saliency in polling. 
C)  it has significantly increased the illusion of saliency in polling. 
D)  partisans in the public tend to rely on party leaders for cues on the appropriate positions to take on major political issues. 
E)  partisans in the public no longer rely on party leaders for cues on the appropriate positions to take on major political issues.

Question 13

The term gender gap refers to

Accepted Answer

A)  differences in political opinions between men and women. 
B)  differences in education and income levels for men and women. 
C)  differing levels of political participation between the genders. 
D)  differences in fundamental political values held by men and women. 
E)  differences in the amount of attention elected officials give to men and women in their campaign speeches. 
A)  differences in political opinions between men and women. 
B)  differences in education and income levels for men and women. 
C)  differing levels of political participation between the genders. 
D)  differences in fundamental political values held by men and women. 
E)  differences in the amount of attention elected officials give to men and women in their campaign speeches.

Question 14

The controversial nature of affirmative action reveals that

Accepted Answer

A)  many Americans do not value equality. 
B)  different policy preferences can be based on different practical interpretations of the same principle. 
C)  Americans are forever separated by racial differences. 
D)  Americans are very politically active. 
E)  the policy is at odds with fundamental American values. 
A)  many Americans do not value equality. 
B)  different policy preferences can be based on different practical interpretations of the same principle. 
C)  Americans are forever separated by racial differences. 
D)  Americans are very politically active. 
E)  the policy is at odds with fundamental American values.

Question 15

The fact that survey respondents overreport voting in elections and the frequency of their church attendance is an example of

Accepted Answer

A)  the Hawthorne effect. 
B)  the coattail effect. 
C)  the social desirability effect. 
D)  the bandwagon effect. 
E)  the median voter theorem. 
A)  the Hawthorne effect. 
B)  the coattail effect. 
C)  the social desirability effect. 
D)  the bandwagon effect. 
E)  the median voter theorem.

Question 16

The various attitudes that citizens possess toward political issues, events, and people are called

Accepted Answer

A)  public opinions. 
B)  political values. 
C)  public ideologies. 
D)  political propaganda. 
E)  cultural philosophies. 
A)  public opinions. 
B)  political values. 
C)  public ideologies. 
D)  political propaganda. 
E)  cultural philosophies.

Question 17

The social desirability effect refers to

Accepted Answer

A)  the bias in surveys that comes from the repeated failure of pollsters to interview respondents who come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. 
B)  the strong desire that people have to express their opinions to survey researchers. 
C)  the fact that respondents report what they expect the interviewer wishes to hear or whatever they think is socially acceptable rather than what they actually believe or know to be true. 
D)  the impression conveyed by polls that something is important to the public when actually it is not. 
E)  the tendency for people to shift their electoral support to the candidate whom public opinion polls report as the front-runner. 
A)  the bias in surveys that comes from the repeated failure of pollsters to interview respondents who come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. 
B)  the strong desire that people have to express their opinions to survey researchers. 
C)  the fact that respondents report what they expect the interviewer wishes to hear or whatever they think is socially acceptable rather than what they actually believe or know to be true. 
D)  the impression conveyed by polls that something is important to the public when actually it is not. 
E)  the tendency for people to shift their electoral support to the candidate whom public opinion polls report as the front-runner.

Question 18

David Hume said that government rests on public opinion alone. Explain the relationship between government and opinion. How do governmental actors try to shape opinion? What is the proper relationship between public opinion and policy?

Accepted Answer

David Hume's statement that government r

Question 19

Recent studies by political scientists have shown that

Accepted Answer

A)  Americans' knowledge of politics is generally high. 
B)  the average American exhibits little knowledge about political institutions, processes, or leaders. 
C)  there is little connection between possessing political knowledge and being an effective citizen. 
D)  younger people know much more about politics than older people. 
E)  most Americans never make political decisions "on the cheap" by making use of shortcuts. 
A)  Americans' knowledge of politics is generally high. 
B)  the average American exhibits little knowledge about political institutions, processes, or leaders. 
C)  there is little connection between possessing political knowledge and being an effective citizen. 
D)  younger people know much more about politics than older people. 
E)  most Americans never make political decisions "on the cheap" by making use of shortcuts.

Question 20

Which of the following statements about political opinions is not true?

Accepted Answer

A)  Race, income, and education cause important differences in opinion. 
B)  The poor are generally more supportive of economic and social programs than the wealthy. 
C)  The poor are generally less supportive of economic and social programs than the wealthy. 
D)  Whites and blacks have differing views on racism. 
E)  Women are more opposed to military intervention than men. 
A)  Race, income, and education cause important differences in opinion. 
B)  The poor are generally more supportive of economic and social programs than the wealthy. 
C)  The poor are generally less supportive of economic and social programs than the wealthy. 
D)  Whites and blacks have differing views on racism. 
E)  Women are more opposed to military intervention than men.

Exam 6: Public Opinion

Research into public opinion and public policy has shown that

When George W. Bush supporters called conservative white voters during the 2000 South Carolina Republican primary to ask if they would be more or less likely to vote for John McCain if they knew that he had fathered an illegitimate black child, it was an example of

Each of the following is a liberal organization except

A survey of 1,000 people can be effective for measuring the opinions of all Americans.

The process by which underlying political values are formed is known as

The belief that government is a wasteful and dangerous institution and should be limited to as few activities as possible is an example of a political

A political ideology is best defined as

Which of the following statements best describes perceptions of racism among blacks and whites?

Political ideologies do not always provide us with a clear opinion on particular policies.

Cell phones and caller ID have dramatically reduced the problem of selection bias in public opinion surveys.

Studies of political opinion show that

The fact that Democratic Party leaders have become more liberal and Republican Party leaders more conservative is important because

The term gender gap refers to

The controversial nature of affirmative action reveals that

The fact that survey respondents overreport voting in elections and the frequency of their church attendance is an example of

The various attitudes that citizens possess toward political issues, events, and people are called

The social desirability effect refers to

David Hume said that government rests on public opinion alone. Explain the relationship between government and opinion. How do governmental actors try to shape opinion? What is the proper relationship between public opinion and policy?

Recent studies by political scientists have shown that

Which of the following statements about political opinions is not true?

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