Political Culture, Beliefs, Ideology (Unit 4)

American exceptionalism

Belief the U.S. is unique with a superior political system and special mission

American dream

Belief that hard work leads to success and upward mobility

Political culture

Shared beliefs and values about government and society in a country

Political ideology

A set of beliefs about the role of government and policies (ex: liberal, conservative)

Political socialization

Process where people form political beliefs through agents like family, school, religion, media, race, gender

Internal efficacy

Belief you understand politics and can participate effectively

External efficacy

Belief government and officials listen and respond to people like you

Efficacy

Citizens’ belief they can understand and influence political affairs

Trust in institutions

Confidence in institutions like government, courts, media, elections; low trust lowers participation

Rule of law

Belief everyone must follow the law and be held accountable equally

Civil society

Voluntary organizations that connect people to government (interest groups, parties, media, churches)

Nation of joiners

Idea Americans join groups/organizations at high rates

Liberty

Freedom from too much government control; often linked to limited government

Political equality

Equal rights and equal political influence (one person, one vote)

Economic equality

Belief government should reduce inequality and help create fair economic outcomes/opportunities

Culture wars

Intense conflicts over moral/social issues where compromise is hard (abortion, LGBTQ+ rights, etc.)

Progressive (culture wars)

Values self-expression and personal freedom

Orthodox (culture wars)

Values traditional morality and social order over self-expression

Partisanship

Strong support for your party/ideology; choosing sides

Bipartisanship

Cooperation between major parties to reach agreement

Religious pluralism

Coexistence of many religious groups in society

Gender gap

Differences in political views and voting patterns between men and women

Impressionable years hypothesis

Events in youth can shape long-term political views (ex: 9/11 shaping security attitudes)