AP Gov Unit 4 Vocab

Political culture

The set of attitudes that shape political behavior.

Free Enterprise

"Let it be" Same as laissez-faire- there is an invisible hand controlling the economy, government should not interfere

Rule of Law

Principle that the law applies to everyone, even those who govern

political socialization

the process by which people develop their political attitudes and opinions

Political ideology

A coherent set of beliefs about politics, public policy, and public purpose, which helps give meaning to political events.

Generational effect

The impact of an important external event in shaping the views of a generation.

Focus Group

A small group of people who meet under the direction of a discussion leader to communicate their opinions about an organization, its products, or other given issues.

Representative Sample

A sample that is representative of the majority's opinions

Weighting

Adjustments to surveys during analysis so that selected demographic groups reflect their values in the population, usually as measured by the census

sampling error

An error that occurs when a sample somehow does not represent the target population

Exit Poll

A poll of people leaving a polling place.

benchmark poll

A poll that serves as a baseline for future campaigns or other polls.

Tracking Poll

polls conducted by media outlets to gauge the potential outcome of a political election on a periodic basis.

Question order

the sequencing of questions in public opinion polls, prior questions can influence answers for later ones

Question wording

the way in which survey questions are phrased, which influences how respondents answer them

Party ideology

A basic set of ideas and goals about society and the role of government that its members and supporters generally share

party identification

An informal and subjective affiliation with a political party that most people acquire in childhood.

Conservatism

a political philosophy based on tradition and social stability, favoring obedience to political authority and organized religion

Liberalism

A political ideology that emphasizes the civil rights of citizens, representative government, and the protection of private property.

Libertarianism

An ideology that cherishes individual liberty and insists on minimal government, promoting a free market economy, a noninterventionist foreign policy, and an absence of regulation in moral, economic, and social life.

Fiscal Policy

Government policy that attempts to manage the economy by controlling taxing and spending.

Monetary Policy

Government policy that attempts to manage the economy by controlling the money supply and thus interest rates.

Medicaid

Federal program that provides medical benefits for low-income persons.

Medicare

A federal program of health insurance for persons 65 years of age and older

Valence Issue

concerns or policies that are viewed in the

same way by people with a variety of ideologies.

Wedge Issue

Sharply divide the public. Wedge issues are used by political groups in strategic ways to gather support for an

issue, especially among those who have yet to develop strong opinions.

Saliency

Intense importance