Vocabulary Guide for Chapter 11: Waples - Public Opinion and the Judicial Branch

public opinion

the sum of individual attitudes about government, policies, and issues.

representative sample

a sample that reflects the demographics of the population.

weighting

a procedure in which the survey is adjusted according to the demographics of the larger population.

sampling error

the margin of error in a poll, which usually is calculated to plus or minus three percentage points.

mass survey

a survey designed to measure the opinions of the population, usually consisting of of 1,500 responses.

focus group

a small group of individuals assembled for a conversation about specific issues.

scientific poll

a representative poll of randomly selected respondents with a statistically significant sample size, using neutral language.

entrance survey

a poll conducted of people coming to an event.

exit poll

a survey conducted outside a polling place in which individuals are asked who or what they just voted for and why.

Sample

a group of individuals from a larger population used to measure public opinion.

random selection

a method of choosing all poll respondents in a way that does not over- or underrepresent any group of the population.

benchmark poll

a survey taken at the beginning of a political campaign in order to gauge support for a candidate and determine which issues are important to voters.

tracking poll

a survey determining the level of support for a candidate or an issue throughout a campaign.

random digit dialing

the use of telephone numbers randomly generated by computer to select potential survey respondents.

question order

the sequence of questions in public opinion polls.

question wording

the phrasing of a question in a public opinion poll.

public has a means to voice opinion and public officials respond to it

two basic requirements for effective representation in a democracy

social desirability bias

the tendency to respond to questions in a socially desirable manner

non response bias

Bias introduced into survey results because individuals refuse to participate.

opinion saliency

some people care more about certain issues than other people do

push polling

surveys or polls in which respondents are given information before answering an opinion question about a candidate, party, or political issue, where the information is given with the intention of influencing the opinion expressed- negative about opponent

legislative

branch most impacted by public opinion

Bullypulpit

the president's use of his prestige and visibility to guide or enthuse the American public

Judicial branch

branch that is supposed to respond the least to public opinion

delegate

a representative who makes decisions based on the needs and wants of their constituents

Trustee

a representative who votes based on what he or she thinks is best for his or her constituency

online polling

type of poll that respondents can seek out and take by choice . It is often the least reliable

Gender gap

A term that refers to the regular pattern by which women are more likely to support Democratic candidates. Women tend to be significantly less conservative than men and are more likely to support spending on social services and to oppose higher levels of military spending.