Political Socialization and Voter Characteristics in U.S.

Political socialization

The development of one's political ideals and ideology due to things like school, family and friends.

Conservative voters

Tend to be white, Christians, older, favor increased military strength, less taxes, do not support abortion, want more punishment for criminals, and desire more military intervention.

Liberal voters

More often younger, minorities, believe less should be put toward the military, support taxing the rich and LGBTQ rights, want to help fix the problem of crimes, are pro-choice, and oppose religious presence in school.

Civil disobedience

The intentional breaking of a law to highlight its flaws and protest it.

Simpson-Mazzoli Act

This act blocked a previous loophole that allowed employers to hire undocumented workers and forced them to document the citizenship of their employees.

Minority majority

When a minority group is the majority in a territory and the usual majority is not represented.

Census

A periodic governmental account every 10 years of all the individuals in an area that provides information on the population change.

First census

1790.

Demography

The science of population change.

Reapportionment

The change in apportionment of seats every 10 years in the House of Representatives based on the census.

Russell Neuman's paradox of mass politics

The American political system works as well as it does despite the lack of general knowledge among voters.

Group benefit voters

Voters who vote based on who would benefit them the most.

Yellow journalism

Journalism that exaggerated things and valued sensations over the truth.

Investigative journalism

Journalism where something is unveiled by a journalist that researches something that was usually hidden by someone or something and usually hides corruption or crime.

Most influential newspaper

Wall Street Journal - sometimes cited as New York Times.

Political culture

The general values, ideologies, traditions and more of a population.

Public Opinion

The majority opinion about a certain issue or idea.

Election too close to call

If the pollster sample is less than 3%.

Key to accuracy in public opinion polls

Random Sampling.

High tech politics

Politics in which the behavior of policy makers and voters are shaped increasingly by better technology.

First president to manipulate media politics

Franklin D Roosevelt.

Vietnam War and Watergate

Ended the cozy relationship between politicians and the press.

Checkers

The family dog gifted to Richard Nixon, mentioned in his 1952 televised speech.

Nixon-Kennedy debate of 1960

Opinion polls indicated that viewers believed Kennedy won due to his visual image and orating ability, while Nixon's demeanor faltered due to his illness and knee injury.

Narrowcasting

The broadcasting of information to a specific target or audience rather than a large group.

Broadcasting

The transmission of information or programs by a radio or television.

News beats

A specific form of journalism when journalists consistently cover a specific topic or subject.

Trial balloon

Information sent out into the public to gauge their reaction to see how a policy would be received.

Sound bite

A small clip from an interview chosen for its pungent or appropriateness that is usually 10 seconds and shown on nightly news.

Political affiliation of journalists

Most journalists belong to the Democratic party.

Talking head

A commentator or reporter on television that is viewed in close up with only the head and shoulders being shown.

Iyengar and Kender study

Revealed that television news could alter how much a person values a certain issue or what they prioritize.

Party realignment

A displacement of the majority party by a minority party usually in a critical election.

Party machine

A type of party that relies on incentives to buy voters and loyalty to a party and rights to govern.

Multi-party system

A system where more than two parties consistently run for office and win elections.

Critical election

An election where new coalitions and issues merge which can cause a realignment of parties or voters.

Thomas Jefferson's political party

The Democratic Republican party.

Abraham Lincoln's political party

Republican party.

First president to identify as a democrat

Andrew Jackson.

Political party

An organization that organizes candidates to compete in elections.

Functions of political parties

Political parties organize competition to find a candidate to represent their party and gain power to benefit their views.

Becoming a member of a political party

By signing up to vote and registering with a certain political party.

Political parties in the US Constitution

They are not specifically mentioned in the constitution.

Nominated by political party for President

They have to be awarded the majority number of delegates in a party at a national convention which decides the candidate for president.

Electoral votes allocation

States get electoral votes depending on the number of senators and representatives in the US Congressional delegation.

Caucus

A meeting of supporters or members of a specific political party or movement.

Caucus

A meeting for a party caucus to vote on candidates within a party for a certain office.

Legislative Caucus

When a representative creates the meeting to meet others with similar interests and can often spur legislative action.

First Caucus Location

Iowa

Primary Election

A vote to appoint delegates to a candidate which decides the candidate which will run in the election.

McGovern-Fraser Commission

Established open and affirmative action guidelines for selecting delegates and required the delegate selection process to be open.

Open Primary

An election where voters of any affiliation can vote in the primary of any party.

Closed Primary

A primary election where only voters of each party can vote in primaries of their party.

Blanket Primary

A primary where voters may pick any candidate for each office without regard to party lines.

Winner Take All System

Awards all of the electoral votes or power to the winning candidate and leaves no representation for the losing candidates.

Electoral College

Consists of 538 electors proportionally distributed between the states which vote for the president and vice president in the presidential election.

Federal Elections Offices

President, Senators, House of Representatives.

Directly Elected Offices

The Senate and House of Representatives.

Political Efficacy

The citizens trust that they can change the government and trust in their ability to understand and change political affairs.

Rational Choice Theory

States that people will use their self interest to make choices that benefit them the most.

Incumbent

The person holding the office or in that position.

Interest Group

A group of people that seek to influence policy that share a common interest among them.

Lobbyist

Communicates views of special interest groups to lawmakers and congress.

PAC

A Political Action Committee that raises and spends money to elect candidates for their party and defeat opposing candidates in campaigns.

PACs Favoring Incumbents

Due to past relationships, current power and risk aversion, ensuring benefits because they're already holding a position of power.

Business PACs Development

More business PACs have been developed than any other since the mid 1970s due to the Federal Election Campaign Act allowing businesses to form PACs and fund candidates.

Selective Perception

The tendency to interpret individuals in the way that aligns with their own beliefs and ignore conflicting information.

McCain-Feingold Act

Regulated soft money, increased contribution limits, and increased transparency requirements of campaign funding.

Swing State

A state where the political parties have similar levels of support and in an election can go either way.

Campaign Effects on Voters

Reinforce voters' preferences for candidates, activate voters to not just vote but to collect money and ring doorbells, convert voters so they change their minds.

Trust in Social Media News

People trust social media news less than mainstream news due to a reputation for misinformation and lack of credible sources or evidence.