AP GOVT - Public Opinion, Mass Media, Political Parties

test 10/23/25

What is demography?

The science of population changes

The process through which an individual acquires his or her particular political orientations, including his or her knowledge, feelings, and evaluations regarding his or her political world, is known as

political socialization

Where do people acquire their political socialization?

family, school, peers, media

What happens to people's political socialization as they age?

it grows firmer

What are the characteristics of liberals in America?

They believe we should guard carefully the rights of defendants in criminal cases.

Where do most Americans learn about government and politics?

an informal learning process

is the distribution of the populations beliefs about politics and policy issue

public opinion

The refers to the emergence of a non-Caucasian majority, as compared with a White, generally Anglo-Saxon majority.

minority-majority

The largest racial/ethnic minority group in the United States is

Hispanics

Random sampling is considered…

the key to the accuracy of opinion polls.

Which of the following statements regarding religion and ideology is FALSE?

Most Jews tend to be more conservative than liberal.

What is central to the ideology of the Republican Party

the American government has become too wide ranging

Conservatives would tend to favor each of the following EXCEPT A) affirmative action. B) low taxes. C) increased military spending. D) free-market solutions. E) the right to life.

A.) affirmative action

According to the text, Ronald Reagan's presidency was characterized by what?

more concern and energy devoted to the president's media appearances than in any other administration.

What is "yellow journalism"?

focuses on violence, corruption, wars, and gossip, often without regard for the truth.

What does the "Contract with America" refer to?

Republican promises for reform following the 1994 GOP takeover of the House;

the brainchild of Dick Cheney and Newt Gingrich.;

an attempt on the part of Republicans to offer Americans a positive program for reshaping policy and reforming how Congress works. (A, C, and D)

Each party holds a national convention every ____ years.

4

Who handles the day to day operation of a national party?

national chairsperson

How does party realignment happen in the US

are rare events in the United States, usually associated with a major national crisis or trauma, in which one party's majority domination is replaced with another's

How did the first political party evolve?

out of Alexander Hamiltonʹs efforts to get Congress to establish a national bank.

What was the issue that brought the Democrats to power in 1932?

The Great Depression

What sort of realignment has occurred in the current party era?

southern realignment

In 2000, Green party candidate Ralph Nader forced more attention on issues and drew away a small percentage of votes from Al Gore.

environmental

List the responsibilities of parties under the responsible party model

Parties have complicated plans, parties responsible for executing plans, parties not supposed to blame others, and parties must accept responsibility

The key spokespersons for political parties come from which of its major components?

the party-in-government

What would a person do in order to become a Republican or Democrat?

all you need to do is believe that you belong to the party of your choice.

The political "party in the electorate" is defined as people who…

identify with a party

What are linkage institutions? A) Supreme Court B) Executive Office of the President C) Congress D) all of the above E) none of the above

E. none of the above

Why do Americans political parties tend to take middle-of-the-road stands on major issues?

because most of the American electorate are centrist (moderates)

What is ticket splitting?

voting one party for one office, and another party for other offices

What happens in blanket primaries?

voters may vote for candidates from either party; select for party nominees

what happens in closed primaries?

they encourage party loyalty; voters who have registered in advance with the party can vote; less than open primaries;

What is the nation's most influential newspaper and its unofficial "newspaper of record"?

New York Times

Richard Nixon believed in lost the 1960 presidential election because of…

he was sweating and had an ugly beard stubble during a debate with Kennedy.

The ____ stipulates that if a station sells advertising time to one candidate, it must be willing to sell equal time to other candidates for the same office.

equal time rule

What is the overriding bias in the news?

is toward stories that draw large audiences and make most money

Who was the first president to manipulate media politics with many press conferences and fireside chats successfully?

Franklin Roosevelt

Who was the first president to use radio to broadcast messages to the American people?

Franklin Roosevelt

The cozy relationship between politicians and the press in the twentieth century lasted until when?

The Vietnam War and Watergate soured the press on gov

What changed in presidential news coverage after Kennedy?

News coverage of presidential candidates has become increasingly less favorable..

Concerns about reliance of pollsters on telephone surveys have recently been caused by what?

increased use of cellphones

Which of the following statements about the differences between liberals and conservatives is FALSE?

Liberals are more likely to favor military intervention around the globe; conservatives are less willing to commit troops to action.

Which of the following statements about Americans' political ideology is FALSE? (#11)

The younger the individual, the more likely that person is to be conservative.

Which of these is NOT part of the responsible party model? (#24)

A. The minority party must promote the majority party's platform

B. The majority party must implement its programs

C. Each party's candidates must be committed to its program and have the discipline to carry it out

D. The parties must present distinct, comprehensive programs for governing the nation

E. The majority party must accept the responsibility

A. The minority party must promote the majority party's platform

linkage institutions do what? (#28)

translate inputs from the public into outputs from the policymakers