Chapter 8 American Government

medium

means of communication that transmits some kind of information

interest group

private organization that works to affect public policy

sample

potion of population that can represent the whole population

sound bite

sharply focused short report that can be aired in 30 to 40 secs

straw vote

poll that tries to assess opinion simply by asking the same question to a large number of people

public opinion

government or political attitudes by a significant number of people

random sampling

sample in which each member of the universe has an equal chance of being included

quota sample

sample constructed to represent the major characteristics of the universe

mass media

means of communication that reach widely dispersed audiences at the same time

mandate

instructions or demands that voters give to their elected officers

quota

in a ________ sample, people are polled based on percentages that are set to reflect the makeup of the whole group

opinion

because so many people listened to a poets political verses, he has become an _______ leader

opinion

the president hoped to sway public ________ by asking people to reconsider the issue based on new information that had been revealed*

mass media*

_________, including tv and radio, have a huge effect on the formation of public opinion

opinion

a senator decided to check the results of a public _______ poll to obtain a sound indicator how his constituency felt about the issue

peer groups

_______ are made up of people with whom on regularly associates

affairs

public opinion includes only the views that relate to public ______

agenda

the problems that political leaders and citizens agree need attention are known as the public _______

opinion

an _______ leader is a person who has more than the average influence on public opinion

polls

scientific _____ have difficulty measuring relevance and stability and the intensity of opinions

attitudes

polls are taken to determine a persons _____ and viewpoints

attention

the impact of the mass media on the public agenda can be described as its ability to focus the public's ___ on specific issues.

agree

the influence of mass media forces voters to pay attention to the sources with which they _____ with

family, school, mass media, peers, opinion leaders, historic events

what are the 6 types of influence in opinion making?

attitudes*

in the family, young children are likely to acquire _______ that will change as they begin forming their own opinion

describe random rampling

sample in which each member of the universe has an equal chance of being included

checks and balances

the free unrestricted power of public opinion in american politics is limited by _____

opinion

_______ leaders should view their roles as a grace responsibility

voters

newspaper mail-in ballots hope to predict election outcomes with some success by hearing from a large quantity of ______

constructing a sample

if the universe to be measured is small, what step in the polling process can be eliminated?

newspaper

what mass media is the best place to find inexpensive, in-depth, readily info on politics?

available and convenience

the characteristic that sets radio apart from other forms of media is it ___ and ____.