APGovPol Chapter 6: Public Opinion and Political Action Practice Questions

e. all of the above

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

a. Normally, American public opinion reveals conflicting attitudes and ambivalence.

b. Immediately after 9/11, American public opinion was nearly unanimous on

responding immediately and by force to the terrorist attacks.

c. More than 80 percent of Americans viewed 9/11 as an act of war.

d. Both a and b

e. All of the above

c. public opinion

The distribution of the population's beliefs about politics and policy issues is called

a. demography.

b. ideology.

c. public opinion.

d. the public agenda.

e. the U.S. census.

e. ten years

By constitutional requirement, the government conducts the United States Census every

a. two years.

b. year.

c. five years.

d. presidential election year.

e. ten years.

d. Hispanics

The 2000 census indicated that the largest minority population is comprised of

a. illegals.

b. African Americans.

c. Asian Americans.

d. Hispanics.

e. Native Americans

c. 24

Approximately what percent of African Americans live below the poverty line?

a. 28

b. 42

c. 24

d. 6

e. 17

a. represented a crackdown on illegal aliens by requiring that employers document

the citizenship or legitimate immigrant status of workers or pay stiff fines.

The Simpson-Mazzoli Act

a. represented a crackdown on illegal aliens by requiring that employers document

the citizenship or legitimate immigrant status of workers or pay stiff fines.

b. requires that states keep their polls open for at least ten hours on election day in

order to facilitate participation.

c. established federal guidelines and regulations for taking public opinion polls.

d. reformed the jury procedures in felony cases, particularly the unanimous verdict

requirement.

e. required that the homeless be counted in the 1990 census.

d. Reapportionment

________ occurs after every census to reallocate the 435 seats in the United States House

of Representatives, reflecting shifts in the population of the states and, thus, how many

seats each state is allotted.

a. Equalization

b. Restructuring

c. Political socialization

d. Reapportionment

e. Demography

d. the process through which an individual acquires his or her particular political

orientations.

Political socialization is defined as

a. the distribution of the population's beliefs about politics and policy issues.

b. the various political roles that individuals play in society.

c. a coherent set of values and beliefs about public policy.

d. the process through which an individual acquires his or her particular political

orientations.

e. the activities used by citizens to influence the selection of political leaders or the

policies they pursue.

c. schooling.

The most obvious intrusion of the government into America's socialization is through

a. political parties.

b. the family.

c. schooling.

d. the mass media.

e. criminal laws.

b. sampling error.

The level of confidence about a public opinion poll is referred to as

a. the confidence index.

b. sampling error.

c. the sample.

d. random sampling.

e. demographic certainty.

d. Polls are subject to very wide margins of error, yet are treated as accurate

measurements of public opinion.

Which of the following is NOT a criticism of modern polling?

a. Careful attention to polls is unwise, as polls only reflect the passive attitudes of

voters.

b. Politicians use polls to follow the crowd rather than to assert bold leadership.

c. Polls can distort the election process by creating a bandwagon effect, where

people want to follow the crowd.

d. Polls are subject to very wide margins of error, yet are treated as accurate

measurements of public opinion.

e. All of the above

b. political ideology

A ________ is a coherent set of values and beliefs about public policy.

a. policy agenda

b. political ideology

c. demography

d. public opinion

e. political socialization

a. a strong central government that sets policies to promote equality.

In general, liberal ideology supports

a. a strong central government that sets policies to promote equality.

b. individuals responding generously to each other to solve society's problems

without looking to government to do so.

c. a small, less active government that gives freer reign to the private sector.

d. public and government ownership of the means of production.

e. strong local and state governments that are closer to the people.

a. Americans consistently choose the ideological label of liberal over conservative.

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

a. Americans consistently choose the ideological label of liberal over conservative.

b. Americans consistently choose the ideological label of conservative over liberal.

c. Young people are more likely than older people to be conservative.

d. Both a and c

e. Both b and c

a. political participation increases with age.

One of the effects of growing older on political learning and political behavior is that

a. political participation increases with age.

b. the strength of one's party attachment declines with age.

c. people become more liberal with age.

d. interest in politics decreases with age.

e. single-issue voting increases with age.

c. had a coherent political ideology.

The American Voter study on ideological sophistication among voters in the 1950s

showed that only a small percentage of Americans

a. had no coherent political ideology.

b. identified with groups reflecting their own interests.

c. had a coherent political ideology.

d. had ever taken a government or civics course.

e. linked their own economic well-being with the party in power.

b. that voters are less interested in ideology or issue positions than in candidate traits such as competence and integrity.

Recent presidential elections have shown

a. a sharp turn in public thinking to more conservative positions on issues.

b. that voters are less interested in ideology or issue positions than in candidate traits such as competence and integrity.

c. a sharp turn in public thinking to more liberal positions on issues.

d. a dramatic growth of ideological voters.

e. that voters are more interested in issue positions than in candidate ideology.

d. contacting government officials and giving money to candidates increased.

Sidney Verba and his colleagues found that while voter turnout declined between 1967

and 1987,

a. writing letters to the editor and contacting government officials increased.

b. participating in nonpolitical activities increased.

c. protesting and giving money to candidates increased.

d. contacting government officials and giving money to candidates increased.

e. none of the above

b. members of minority groups tend to participate more than members of the

majority.

There is evidence that when incomes and educational levels are equal

a. members of the majority tend to be more politically active than minorities.

b. members of minority groups tend to participate more than members of the

majority.

c. Hispanics participate more than whites and African Americans participate less

than whites.

d. Hispanics, African Americans, and women tend to be less politically active than

white males.

e. the political participation of members of minority groups and the majority are also

equal.

a. oppose big government in principle, but want it to do more in practice.

To say that Americans are ideological conservatives, but operational liberals is to say that

Americans

a. oppose big government in principle, but want it to do more in practice.

b. favor big government in principle, but want it to do less in practice.

c. favor divided government.

d. oppose divided government.

e. believe, following Reagan, that government is the source of their problems.

True

Americans hold a diversity of views and conflicting attitudes. T / F

True

The census is mandated by the U.S. Constitution. T / F

False

Over the second part of the twentieth century, the greatest population growth occurred

east of the Mississippi. T / F

False

The family plays little significant role in an individual's political socialization. T / F

True

Voter turnout is related to age. T / F

True

The level of confidence in the findings of a public opinion poll is called sampling error.

T / F

False

Americans' trust in government has increased in recent decades. T / F

False

More Americans call themselves liberals than moderates. T / F

True

The gender gap refers to the regular pattern by which women are more likely than men to

support Democratic candidates. T / F

True

Public opinion surveys show that acceptance of gays and lesbians is increasing among

liberals but decreasing among moderates and conservatives. T / F