Public Opinion and Political Participation

These flashcards cover key concepts related to public opinion, political participation, the impact of media, the electoral process, and party dynamics within the political landscape.

Public Opinion

The collection of attitudes, preferences, and opinions of individuals on government and politics.

Political Knowledge

Fundamental part of an individual's participation in politics, but often lacking among Americans.

Low Ideological Constraint

When a person's beliefs do not connect logically and lack a theoretical foundation.

Ideology

A system of ideas and ideals that serves as a foundation for political and economic policy.

Partisanship

Loyalty to a political party that may not indicate coherent or consistent issue attitudes.

Political Socialization

The process through which individuals learn their political orientations and allegiances.

Heuristics

Mental shortcuts that help people make decisions with insufficient information.

Probability Sampling

The method of surveying a population by using random sampling to obtain results.

Exit Polls

Polls conducted immediately after individuals vote to assess voting behavior.

Media Monopolies

Control of media by a few large corporations, impacting information dissemination.

Confirmation Bias

The tendency to favor information that confirms one’s existing beliefs.

Citizen Journalism

News reporting by individuals rather than professional journalists.

Political Participation

Various forms of engaging in the political process, including voting and civic activities.

Suffrage

The right to vote, historically restricted in various ways in the U.S.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Legislation that allowed the federal government to challenge laws affecting minority voting.

Calculus of Voting

Formula illustrating the decision to vote based on perceived benefits and costs.

Gerrymandering

The manipulation of electoral district boundaries to favor one political party.

Proportional Representation System

An electoral system where political parties gain seats in proportion to the number of votes received.

Duverger’s Law

Theory stating plurality voting in single-member districts leads to a two-party system.

Party-in-Government

Members of a political party who hold office and organize government actions.

Affective Polarization

Emotional hostility towards members of the opposing political party.

Closed Primary

An election allowing only registered party members to vote for their party's candidates.

Open Primary

An election allowing voters to choose candidates regardless of their party affiliation.