Pretest Chp 1: Critical Thinking & Popular Culture

POLS

A significant obstacle to critical thinking that has recently emerged is

political partisanship

changes in the media landscape

television

newspapers

changes in the media landscape

Which of the following are core values of the American political culture? (select any that apply)

liberty

individualism

self-government

equality

Liberty, Individualism, Self Govt, and Equality

Critical thinking is best described as the process of forming an opinion after weighing the relevant facts.

True

False

True

_________ is the process by which a society settles its conflicts and allocates the resulting benefits and costs.

Politics

Republicanism

Socialism

Government

Politics

The type of government that suppresses individuality, forcing people to think and act as the government demands?

socialist

authoritarian

communist

republican

Authoritarian

Sociologist C. Wright Mills was a proponent of the theory of 

majoritarianism

None of these answers is correct.

pluralism.

elitism.

Elitism

On most issues, according to "pluralism"

it is the preferences of special interests that largely determine what government does.

true authority lies with the elected politicians, and not with the public that put them in office.

the will of the majority of the voting public determines government policy.

the diverse nature of the people enhances the democratic process in policymaking.

It is the preferences of special interest that largely determine what govt does

Politics in the United States are kept within peaceful bounds by which of the follow? (select any that apply)

consitutionalism

free markets

democracy

autocracy

democracy, free markets and constitutionalism

The text describes _________________ as a defining characteristic of American politics.

a resistance to all forms of socialism

a continual striving for equality

the widespread sharing of power

the supremacy of the elite

the widespread sharing of power

One who spends hours listening to partisan talk shows will likely be

a well-rounded political pundit.

misinformed.

a pragmatist.

a liberal.

misinformed

Among adults 25 years of age and older, roughly half are college graduates.

True

False

False

A constitutional system has legtimate lawful restrictions on a government's power.

True

False

True

Self-sufficiency is consistent with the idea of individualism.

True

False

False

Americans generally believe that the people are the ultimate soure of governing authority.

True

False

True

The economy of the United States is consider primarily a

socialist system with some free-market elements.

free-market system.

socialist system.

free-market system with major elements of socialism.

free-market system

The ability of persons, groups, or institutions to influence political developments is called ____________.

power.

apathy.

liberty.

politics.

power

In recent years, what has become of American politics?

American politics have become more heated and divisive.

American leaders have become more willing to lie.

All of the above.

Americans have become more tolerant of leaders slanting facts.

All of the above

The Reformation era thought had the greatest impact on the formation of political culture in America.

True

False

False

The Declaration of Independence states that governments get their "just powers" from

"the benevolence of a just king."

"God Almighty."

"the consent of the governed."

"the various factions."

“the consent of the governed”

What do behavioral scientists call the habit of judging the accuracy of a claim on the basis of who's saying it or whether we've heard it before?

"cognitive disconnect"

"cognitive dissonance"

"cognitive bias"

"cognitive laziness"