American Political Ideology and Political Beliefs

Political Socialization

The process by which individuals acquire their political beliefs and values.

Political Spectrum

A system for classifying different political positions upon one or more geometric axes.

Core Values

Fundamental beliefs shared by most Americans, such as liberty, equality, and democracy.

Equality of Opportunity

The belief that everyone should have the same chance to succeed, even if outcomes differ.

Individualism

The idea that people are responsible for their own success and should have freedom to pursue their goals.

Free Enterprise

An economic system with minimal government interference, where businesses compete freely.

Limited Government

The belief that government should have restricted powers, protecting individual rights and freedoms.

Rule of Law

The principle that everyone, including government officials, must follow the law.

Political Socialization

The process by which people form their political beliefs, values, and identities.

Generations and Political Socialization

How people's political beliefs differ based on the era or generation they grew up in (e.g., Baby Boomers vs. Gen Z).

Life Cycle and Political Socialization

How people's political views change as they age or experience major life events (marriage, parenthood, career, etc.).

Political Spectrum

A range of political beliefs from far left (radical) to far right (reactionary).

Radical

Wants major, fast change to the political or social system, often through new or extreme methods.

Liberal

Supports government action to promote equality and social welfare; open to change and reform.

Moderate

Holds centrist views, balancing liberal and conservative positions.

Conservative

Prefers tradition, limited government in the economy, and personal responsibility.

Reactionary

Wants to return to a previous state or 'the way things used to be.'

Ideology Grid

A chart that maps political beliefs based on two axes: social issues and economic issues.

Democrat

Generally supports more government involvement in the economy, social equality, and progressive change.

Republican

Generally supports less government in the economy, lower taxes, and traditional social values.

Monetary Policy

Government (Federal Reserve) control of the money supply and interest rates to influence the economy.

Fiscal Policy

Government use of taxes and spending to influence the economy.

Keynesian Economics

Belief that government should increase spending during recessions to boost demand.

Supply-Side Economics

Belief that cutting taxes and regulations encourages investment, creating growth from the 'supply' side.

Public Opinion

The collective attitudes and beliefs of people about politics and policy issues.

Census

The official count of the population, done every 10 years, used for representation and funding decisions.

Demography

The study of population characteristics like age, race, gender, and income.

Polls

Surveys measuring public opinion.

Opinion Poll

Measures what people think about specific issues or candidates.

Benchmark Poll

An initial poll to see how much support a candidate has early in a campaign.

Tracking Poll

Repeated polls over time to track changes in opinion.

Entrance/Exit Poll

Taken as people enter or leave voting places to predict election results.

Sample

The group of people chosen to represent the population in a poll.

Random Sample

Everyone in the population has an equal chance of being selected.

Representative Sample

A sample that accurately reflects the demographics of the population.

Sampling Error (Margin of Error)

The possible difference between poll results and the true population opinion (usually ±3-5%).

Loaded Wording

Biased or emotional language that influences how people answer.

Ordering of Questions

When the sequence of questions affects responses.

Question Format

The structure (yes/no, multiple choice, open-ended) can influence answers.

Framing

The way an issue is presented changes how people interpret it.

Push Polling

Polls designed to spread misleading or negative information rather than measure opinion.

Opinion Saliency

How strongly people care about a specific issue.