Unit 4 Vocabulary List

61 vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts from the lecture notes.

American political culture

The values that influence individuals attitudes and beliefs about the relationship between citizens and the federal government.

benchmark polls

Polls conducted by a campaign at the start of a race to provide a basis for comparison with later polls.

biased questions

Questions that are difficult to be truly unbiased and can portray candidates or policies in a positive or negative light, influencing responses.

communitarian

People who favor legislation that emphasizes the needs of communities over individual rights and are economically liberal but socially conservative.

conservative ideology

A belief that government should be small with minimal economic interference, supporting private sector solutions and, for social conservatives, traditional morality.

ideology

The beliefs and ideas that help shape political opinion and policy.

Democratic Party

One of the two main parties in the United States; founded in 1828 by Andrew Jackson; today aligns with liberal ideology.

demographic characteristics

Socioeconomic attributes such as age, race, gender, religion, marital status, occupation, education that influence voting and party identification.

Entrance polls

Polls conducted on Election Day as voters enter their voting location.

Enumerated powers

Explicitly identified and granted in the Constitution, restricting the federal government to those powers.

equality of opportunity

The belief that each person should have the same opportunities to advance in society.

Exit polls

Polls conducted on Election Day as voters exit their voting location.

fiscal policy

Government decisions about how to influence the economy by taxing and spending.

focus group

A small, demographically diverse group assembled for in-depth discussion to gauge reactions to an idea or candidate.

formative age

Young adulthood, between ages 18 and 24, when many people form long lasting political attitudes.

free enterprise

The belief in the right to compete freely in a market with supply and demand and with limited government involvement.

liberal ideology

The view that the government should intervene in the economy and provide a broad range of social services, usually with a left wing orientation.

Green Party

The fourth largest party in the United States; founded in 2001; favors strong federal government and platforms like grassroots democracy, nonviolence, social justice, and environmentalism.

Horse Race journalism

A type of political coverage that emphasizes leading or trailing candidates rather than policy analysis.

journalism

The practice of reporting news; in politics it can focus on horse race aspects rather than policy.

improper sampling techniques

Flawed methods used to select poll samples, leading to biased results.

individual liberties

Personal freedoms that the government cannot abridge, especially those guaranteed by the Bill of Rights.

individualism

The principle of valuing individual rights, initiative, and responsibility over collective control.

Keynesian economics

An economic philosophy that encourages government spending to create jobs or distribute unemployment benefits to stimulate growth.

lack of transparency in polling methods

Not providing clear information about how polls were conducted, making quality hard to judge.

Large or unreported sampling error in polling

The results from a sample that don’t exactly represent a population; this is called sampling error, and the likely size of the error is called a margin of error

sampling technique

The process by which pollsters select respondents for a survey.

scientific polling techniques

Reliable polling practices that publish the methods used to collect data.

large sample size

A bigger sample reduces the margin of error; mass surveys usually involve at least 1,000 respondents.

sampling error

The predicted difference between the sample estimate and the true population value.

mass survey

The most common type of survey; it measures public opinion by interviewing a large sample of the population.

monetary policy

Government decisions about how to influence the economy using the money supply and interest rates.

nationalists

People who promote the interests of their nation, often believing in national superiority.

opinion polls

Surveys that measure the public's opinions on issues, candidates, or officials.

party identification

An individual's sense of loyalty to a specific political party.

party realignment

A sharp change in the issues or voting blocs that a party represents.

Time Period effects

Major events and social trends that affect political attitudes across the population.

policy mood

A measure of the public's preferences toward policy choices.

political socialization

The process by which a person develops political values and beliefs through family, friends, school, religious and civic groups, and the media.

population

The group of people a researcher wants to study.

position issue

An issue that divides voters, such as gun control or the death penalty.

progressive ideology

Progressives are often used interchangeably with liberals; some treat them as distinct in focusing on reforming systemic issues.

public opinion

How people feel about issues, candidates, and public officials.

random sample

A random selection from a population ensuring equal probability of selection.

representative sample

A small group of respondents that accurately reflects the broader population.

Republican Party

One of the two main parties; founded in 1854 by anti slavery activists; its platform has transformed over time to align with conservative ideology.

right to privacy

The right to be free of government scrutiny into one’s private beliefs and behavior.

rule of law

A government built on a body of law applied equally to all, not on the whims of leaders.

sample

The group of people a researcher surveys to gauge the population.

straw poll

An unscientific survey used to gauge public opinion on a variety of issues.

supply-side economics

An economic philosophy that encourages tax cuts and deregulation to promote growth.

The Federal Reserve

Also called The Fed; an independent federal agency that determines US monetary policy to stabilize the banking system and promote growth.

tracking polls

Polls conducted repeatedly with the same group to track changes in opinions over time.

valence issue

An issue that most voters will agree with, such as economic prosperity or caring for the elderly.

globalization

The growth of an interconnected world economy and culture, fueled by lowered trade barriers and advances in communications technology.

government intervention

Regulatory actions taken to affect decisions made by individuals, groups, or organizations regarding social and economic matters.

Libertarian Party

The third major party that favors limited government intervention in personal, social, and economic issues.

regulatory actions

Government actions that affect decisions by individuals, groups, or organizations on social and economic matters.

Horse Race Journalism

A style of journalism that emphasizes poll standings and competition rather than policy analysis.

public policy

Public policy related to health care, human services, criminal justice, inequality, education, and labor.

Generational effects

Experiences shared by a group of people who came of age together and influence political attitudes as they age.