American National Government Exam II

sample

polls rely on a ____________ of the population

accurate

no poll is ___________

there is no way to eliminate sampling error

why is no poll accurate?

less

larger sample size, _______ margin of error

1500-2000

what is a typical sampling size

start at a random point and then move by intervals

characteristics of random probability sampling procedure

random probability sampling procedure

ex: OBU student body - retrieve a list of emails, if our sample size is 200 and the population of the school is 1600, 1600/200=8 and this would be our interval. We would then start at a random point on the list and move by intervals of 8.

direction, intensity, saliency, and stability

what are the dimensions of public opinion variables?

are you for something, or against it?

what is meant by direction in terms of public opinion variables

how strongly one holds an opinion

what is meant by intensity in terms of public opinion variables

rank order of most important to least important

what is meant by saliency in terms of public opinion variables

important

the more salient an issue, the more ___________ it is for you

public needs to be asking for the same thing for a long time in order for the government to respond

what is meant by stability in terms of public opinion variables

permissive, consensus, and divisive

what are the patterns of public opinion?

permissive pattern

decision-makers are permitted to do whatever they want - vote for or against with no political cost on their figure

most people don’t have an opinion

vast public opinion of permissive pattern

consensus pattern

most people have an opinion or particular view, but they are looking at it the same way

divisive pattern

people have an opinion, but they are very divided

permissive pattern

what pattern of public opinion do decision-makers like the most

divisive pattern

what pattern of public opinion do decision-makers dislike the most

the will of the people

What is public opinion?

George Gallup

Who was the first person to engage in public opinion polling in the U.S.?

error factor, timing of voters’ decisions, predicting turnout, influencing opinion

problems associated with election polls

wording of questions, nature of questions, respondents may hold no opinion, nature of the survey

what are some general problems linked to polling and public opinion research?

it is the core values in a political system

what is meant by political culture

political culture gradually changes while public opinion can change day-to-day

How does political culture differ from public opinion

the transmission of political values and norms from one generation to the next

what is socialization?

family, schools, media, religion, peer groups

what are the major agents of socialization?

family

what is the most important agent of socialization?

impacts political and broader views, children tend to identify with the same political party of their parents

what role does family play in socialization

gives people the ability to collect and be shaped by political information because it is easily accessible

what role does the media play in socialization?

your religious beliefs can shape the way that you understand things

what role does religion play in socialization?

they tend to shape short-term impacts or values

what role do peer groups play in socialization?

inactives, voting specialists, parochial participants, community activists, campaign activists, complete activists

what are the different participant types according to Verba and Nie?

people who do not participate

what are inactives?

regular voters

what are voting specialists?

they get involved when something is happening that has a direct impact on them or someone close to them

what are parochial (selective) participants?

value community improvement, community affairs, and are not involved in partisan political activity

what are community activists?

people interested in partisan political activities

what are campaign activists (campaigners)?

people who do everything involved in community, partisan political activities, voting

what are complete activists?

grandfather clauses, poll taxes, white primary elections, literacy tests

what were the limitations of franchise rights?

if your grandfather had voted, you could vote

what were grandfather clauses?

if you wanted to vote at the polls, you had to pay for printing the ballots

what were poll taxes?

political parties run a candidate under their party label while interest groups endorse candidates

difference between political parties and interest groups?

party in the electorate, party organization, party in government

what are the major components of American political parties?

people who identify or support a political party

what is the party in the electorate?

the organizational structure of the party

what is the party organization?

party members who hold government positions

what is the party in government?

recruitment function, election function, education function, policy function, governing function, loyal opposition function

what are the major functions/tasks of U.S. political parties?

the period before the primary begins where no delegates are being selected

what is the invisible primary?

candidates jockey for a position, line up party support, obtain financial supports, and gain credibility with journalists in the news media

what happens during the invisible primary?

intraparty competition, the goal is to win party delegates to go to the national convention

what is the key feature of a nomination process?

tries to move primaries earlier to speed up the process in order to nail down their nominee faster

What is front-loading in the primary process?

binding primaries

what method to select delegates is used by most states?

Democrats are always proportional and never change in their selection method but Republican parties allow for a winner-take-all method to speed up the process of selecting a nominee

How do parties differ in their selection methods?

win party delegates

what is the goal of those running for the presidential nomination?

dropping of property ownership requirements to vote, race-civil war amendments, gender, age

what are the key expansions in the right of franchise?

wording of questions, nature of questions, respondents hold no opinion, nature of the survey

what are some general problems linked to polling and public opinion research?

questions may be biased

Why is wording of questions a problem linked to polling and public opinion research?

questions may be personal

Why is nature of questions a problem linked to polling and public opinion research?

some people may not have an opinion on the subject

Why is respondents not holding an opinion a problem linked to polling and public opinion research?

mailed surveys have low return rates, telephone surveys are fast, personal interviews are expensive

Why is the nature of the survey a problem linked to polling and public opinion research?

voters may change their minds at the last moment

How is timing of voters decision a common problem associated with election polls?

missing how many people will show up to polls and vote

How is predicting turnout a common problem associated with election polls?

polls may be used to influence opinion instead of simply reporting it

How is influencing opinion a common problem associated with election polls?

party activists

people who actively work for a political party, such as volunteering for campaigns, organizing events, or raising money

party in the electorate

all voters who identify with or support a political party even if they don’t participate