AP Gov Unit 4 Review: American Political Ideologies and Beliefs

Vocabulary flashcards created from AP Government Unit 4 review materials covering core American political values, socialization, public opinion polling, party ideologies, and economic/social policy.

Individualism

The belief that individuals are responsible for shaping their own lives through their choices.

Equality of Opportunity

The belief that everyone should have an equal chance to succeed, rather than everyone necessarily receiving the same outcome.

Free Enterprise

An economic system where individuals and businesses make economic decisions and the market largely determines prices, products, and services.

Rule of Law

The principle that everyone, including government officials, must obey the law.

Limited Government

The concept that government has restrictions on its power and cannot control every aspect of people's lives.

Political Culture

The shared beliefs and values that influence how Americans view government and politics.

Political Socialization

The process through which people develop their political beliefs, values, opinions, and behaviors.

Globalization

The increasing interaction between countries, which can cause U.S. political culture to influence other countries and foreign cultures to influence the U.S.

Generational Effects

Political attitudes influenced by experiences shared by people born around the same time.

Life-Cycle Effects

Political attitudes that change because of different stages of a person's life.

Silent Generation

The generation born before the Baby Boomers, shaped by events such as the Great Depression and WWII.

Baby Boomers

The generation born after WWII, shaped by the civil rights movement, Vietnam War, and other major events of the 1960s–70s.

Generation X

The generation born after the Baby Boomers whose political attitudes were shaped by events such as the Cold War's end and economic/social changes.

Millennials

The generation that came of age during the 2000s and 2010s, with experiences including 9/11, the Great Recession, and the rise of social media.

Great Depression (1929–1933)

A severe economic crisis that contributed to increased support for government involvement in the economy and helped create the New Deal Coalition.

New Deal Coalition

A political coalition that supported Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Democratic Party during the New Deal era.

Iraq Invasion (2003)

The U.S. invasion of Iraq that became an important political issue and affected Americans' views about foreign policy, national security, and government leadership.

Great Recession (2007–2009)

A major financial and economic crisis that influenced Americans' views about the economy, government regulation, unemployment, and government responses to economic problems.

Opinion Poll

Measures people's opinions about an issue, candidate, or political topic.

Benchmark Poll

The first poll conducted to establish a baseline of public opinion about a candidate or issue.

Tracking Poll

Repeated polls used to track changes in opinions over time, especially during campaigns.

Exit Poll

A survey of voters after they leave a polling place, asking how they voted and why.

Entrance Poll

A survey of voters before they vote, often used to gather information about their intended vote or attitudes.

Focus Group

A small group of people who discuss political issues or candidates in depth, which is not designed to represent the entire population statistically.

Approval Rating

The percentage of people who approve of the job a public official is doing.

Random Sample

A sample in which members of the population have a chance of being selected.

Representative Sample

A sample that reflects important characteristics of the larger population.

Universe

The entire population being studied in a poll.

Random-Digit Dialing

A method of selecting survey participants by randomly generating telephone numbers.

Sampling Error

The amount that a poll's results may differ from the actual views of the entire population because only a sample was surveyed.

Margin of Error

The estimated range within which the actual population result is expected to fall.

Non-Response Bias

Occurs when people selected for a poll do not respond, and the people who do respond differ significantly from those who don't.

Social Desirability Bias

Occurs when people give the answer they think is socially acceptable rather than their true opinion.

Push Poll

A poll designed primarily to influence people's opinions, rather than accurately measure them.

Weighting / Stratification

Adjustment of poll results by pollsters to account for differences between the sample and the population.

Bandwagon Effect

When people change their opinion or voting behavior because they believe a candidate or position is popular or winning.

Bradley Effect

The idea that some voters may give a socially acceptable answer to a pollster instead of revealing their actual voting preference, particularly when race is involved.

Liberal

Generally favors more government involvement in addressing social/economic problems, more regulation of the marketplace, and a larger national government role in areas such as education and public health.

Conservative

Generally favors less government involvement, fewer marketplace regulations, more state/local responsibility for certain social issues, and greater emphasis on individual responsibility and traditional institutions.

Libertarian

Generally favors very limited government, strong individual liberty, little government regulation, and protection of property rights and voluntary exchange.

Political Ideology

A consistent set of beliefs about the role government should play in society.

Marketplace Regulation by Ideology

A summary of marketplace regulation preferences showing Liberal (more regulation), Conservative (less regulation), and Libertarian (little/no regulation except protecting property rights and voluntary trade).

Fiscal Policy

Government decisions about taxing and spending to influence the economy, controlled primarily by Congress and the President.

Keynesian Economics

Generally supports government action to stimulate the economy during downturns, such as increasing government spending.

Supply-Side Economics

Generally emphasizes policies such as reducing taxes/regulatory burdens to encourage production, investment, and economic growth.

Monetary Policy

Actions taken by the Federal Reserve to influence interest rates and broader economic conditions.

Ideology Comparison Chart

A comparison chart outlining differences among Liberal, Conservative, and Libertarian views regarding government size, economic regulation, social programs, education/public health, individual liberty, and property rights.