Question 1

Selective perception is primarily a result of

Accepted Answer

A) economic class. 
B) religion. 
C) partisanship. 
D) race and ethnicity. 
E) age and generational beliefs.

Question 2

Party identification refers to

Accepted Answer

A) the percentage of polled individuals that claim membership in a particular party. 
B) formal membership in a political party. 
C) a person's sense of loyalty to a political party. 
D) a political party's platform-the stances on issues that define its beliefs. 
E) the ability of individual citizens to identify the major issue positions of the major political parties.

Question 3

Which of the following statements is true?

Accepted Answer

A) Franklin Roosevelt had little faith that public opinion would preserve the Social Security program; he expected it to be dismantled within a few decades. 
B) Public opinion on the usefulness of the Social Security system tends to swing back and forth dramatically with the health of the national economy. 
C) George W.Bush attempted to privatize aspects of Social Security,only to back down in the face of determined resistance. 
D) Franklin Roosevelt attempted to increase the size of the Social Security system,but backed down in the face of strong public opinion against any expansion. 
E) The increase in tougher crime and sentencing laws in the 1990s went into effect despite indications that public opinion strongly opposed the trend.

Question 4

Women are less likely than men to favor

Accepted Answer

A) affirmative action. 
B) abortion rights. 
C) higher levels of education spending. 
D) the use of force to settle international disputes. 
E) All of these answers are correct.

Question 5

Explain the difference between the delegate and trustee views of political representation in a democracy.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain the difference between the delegate and...

Question 6

A member of Congress who wants to act on what the majority of his or her constituency thinks on a particular issue would be advised to respond to which of the following indicators?

Accepted Answer

A) letters from constituents 
B) the editorial positions of newspapers in the constituency 
C) public demonstrations by constituents 
D) a poll based on a random selection sample of constituents 
E) the number of yard signs on major streets

Question 7

In his definition of public opinion,the author states that the politically relevant opinions of private individuals become public opinion when they

Accepted Answer

A) first enter people's heads. 
B) are openly expressed. 
C) become part of the conflict between the Republican and Democratic parties. 
D) are measured in opinion polls. 
E) become part of the conflict between populists and libertarians.

Question 8

In terms of party identification,slightly more than half of adults call themselves

Accepted Answer

A) liberals. 
B) fully Republican or Democrat. 
C) Republicans. 
D) fully independent. 
E) Democrats.

Question 9

Students are most likely to hear stories about America's heroes and greatness when they are in

Accepted Answer

A) elementary school. 
B) middle school. 
C) high school. 
D) an undergraduate college program. 
E) graduate school.

Question 10

What are the two distinguishing characteristics of political socialization?

Accepted Answer

A) Schools are the most influential agent of political socialization,and political socialization is strongest during childhood. 
B) Family is the strongest agent of political socialization,and political socialization is strongest during high school and college. 
C) Political socialization is cumulative,and it is most heavily developed during childhood. 
D) Political socialization is transitory,and it is most heavily developed during young adulthood. 
E) Political socialization occurs primarily among educated populations,and it is most heavily developed during adulthood.

Question 11

Identify and discuss the frames of reference that Americans rely upon when forming their political opinions.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Identify and discuss the frames of reference...

Question 12

All of the following ideological types are prevalent in the United States EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

A) liberals. 
B) conservatives. 
C) populists. 
D) libertarians. 
E) communists.

Question 13

The accuracy of polling is diminished when respondents

Accepted Answer

A) give what they regard as the socially correct response to certain questions even though they think differently. 
B) are asked about familiar issues. 
C) have an opinion and reveal it. 
D) admit they are not familiar with an issue and offer no opinion. 
E) None of these answers is correct.

Question 14

A person who favors government intervention in both social and economic affairs is a(n)

Accepted Answer

A) libertarian. 
B) liberal. 
C) populist. 
D) social conservative. 
E) economic conservative.

Question 15

Which of the following would NOT be considered a secondary socializing agent?

Accepted Answer

A) leaders 
B) the media 
C) peers 
D) church 
E) None of these answers is correct,as ALL represent secondary socializing agents.

Question 16

Which of the following is true about public opinion polling?

Accepted Answer

A) Opinion polls are the most relied-upon method of measuring public opinion. 
B) Polls can be erroneous at times. 
C) Sampling error decreases as the size of the sample increases. 
D) Polling accuracy diminishes when respondents are unfamiliar with the issues in question. 
E) All of these answers are correct.

Question 17

Which of the following actions by a member of Congress would likely lead Edmund Burke to classify that member as a "trustee"?

Accepted Answer

A) The member votes for a declaration of war because her constituents favor it by large majorities,even though she personally opposes it. 
B) The member votes against a resolution declaring war because she agrees with her constituents that it is unwise to pursue military conflict at that time. 
C) The member votes against a resolution declaring war,believing it unwise,despite her constituents having a majority opinion in favor of the war. 
D) The member conducts extensive polling to determine the will of her constituents. 
E) The member declines to vote on the resolution for a declaration of war because she does not feel she understands the issue fully.

Question 18

Sources of polling error can include

Accepted Answer

A) use of random telephone polling. 
B) unrepresentative samples. 
C) respondents' lack of knowledge or interest in the issue. 
D) question wording. 
E) All of these answers are correct.

Question 19

Define what is meant by a political ideology.Why is ideology important to consider when discussing the political thinking of the American people?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Define what is meant by a political...

Question 20

Which of the following states is solidly Republican?

Accepted Answer

A) New York 
B) Florida 
C) Illinois 
D) Oregon 
E) Alabama

Exam 6: Public Opinion and Political Socialization: Shaping the Peoples Voice