apgov unit 4

generational effect

Events that have happened in the past can influence the way the people in another generation view politics

political ideology

your political beliefs

rule of law

universal rules that every person must follow and are subject to equally

free enterprise

The government stays out of the economy as much as possible, allowing free markets, individuals, and businesses to operate with maximum freedom.

political culture

A set of attitudes and beliefs in different environments that mold and shape political behavior.

representative sample

A group of people meant to represent the large group in question (in this case the universe).

political socialization

The process by which you develop political beliefs such as influence from others or your culture.

focus groups

A small, moderated gathering of citizens used to hold conversations about political issues or candidates. Typically used as a research method for political campaigns or organizations.

question wording

The specific language used in a public opinion poll that could potentially bias or skew the results by being intentionally misleading.

weighting

the manipulation of the polling sample to compensate for demographic groups to be proportionally represented

benchmark poll

the first type of poll used by a political campaign, usually before a political candidate has declared their intentions. Used to measure support for the candidate.

question order

the sequence in which questions are shown to people who have to respond in a survey. It affects the results, because the context created by one question can change how a person answers later ones.

tracking polls

Polls that ask people questions to measure how prospective voters feel about an issue and how they may vote on election day (throughout election)

party ideology

A set of beliefs and values that shape the goals, policies, and actions of a political party.

sampling error

occurs when a sample does not perfectly represent the population so the results are not always completely true to the population.

exit poll

A poll, voters take after exiting the voting booth given by media outlets to predict the outcome.

fiscal policy

The part of economic policy that deals with government spending and taxation.

monetary policy

How the government manages the supply and demand of its currency and the value of the dollar.

medicaid

government-run health care program for the poorest who cannot afford necessary medical expenses.

medicare

government-run health insurance program for citizens over 65 years old.

liberalism

A political philosophy that emphasizes individual rights, liberty, and equality of opportunity.

conservatism

A political philosophy that emphasizes tradition, stability, and slow, gradual change.

party identification

This is when one person "self identifies" themselves as part of a party.

libertarianism

The political philosophy that government should have minimal involvement in the lives of citizens and the free market, and values personal freedom and responsibility so that freedom is maximized.

saliency

how intense is the importance of a specific issue

valence issue

Concerns or policies that are viewed in the same way by people with a variety of ideologies.

wedge issue

a controversial issue that one party uses to split the voters in the other party