ap gov unit 4 vocab quiz

political culture***

the set of attitudes that shape political behavior

individualism

a belief in the fundamental worth and importance of the individual

laissez-faire/free enterprise

government should “let it be”- an “invisible hand” would guide the interactions of producers and consumers and regulate the economy over time.

rule of law***

the principle of a government that establishes laws that apply equally to all members of society and prevents the rule and whims of leaders who see themselves as above the law

political socialization***

the process by which you develop political beliefs

political ideology***

a coherent set of beliefs about politics, public policy, and public purpose/helps give meaning to political events, policies, and personalities

generational effect***

the impact of events experienced by a generational cohort on the formation of common political orientations

life-cycle effect

changes in opinions or patterns of behavior that occur among most people at major points of their life like marriage, parenthood, or retirement

globalization

the process of an ever-expanding and increasingly interactive world economy

outsourcing

a process by which the government contracts with a private for-profit or nonprofit organization to provide public services, such as disaster relief, or resources needed by the government, such as fighter planes

focus group***

a small group of citizens- 10 to 40 people- who are gathered to hold conversations about issues or candidates

scientific poll

define population, make sample, construct unbiased questions, conduct poll, and analyze and report data

sample

a subset of the whole population selected to be questioned for the purposes of prediction or gauging opinion.

random selection

every single member of the universe must have an equal chance of selection into the sample.

representative sample***

draws from all groups in proportion to their representation in the population.

weighting***

making sure demographic groups are properly represented in a sample

sampling error***

the difference between poll results

mass survey

a way to measure public opinion by interviewing a large sample of the population

entrance survey

a poll taken before voters have cast their votes at polling stations

exit poll***

conducted outside polling places on election day to publicly predict the outcome of the election after the polls close

benchmark poll

often the first type of poll used by a political campaign, often before a potential candidate has declared his or her intentions. used to measure support for a candidate and gather information about the issues that people care about.

tracking poll***

ask people questions to measure how prospective voters feel about an issue and how they may vote on election day

random digit dialing

a technique used by pollsters to place telephone calls randomly to both listed and unlisted numbers when conducting a survey

question order***

the sequencing of questions in public opinion polls

question-wording***

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

right

a legal entitlement or freedom granted to individuals, often protected by law or the Constitution, ensuring certain protections and liberties

privilege

a special advantage, right, or immunity granted to a person or group, which can be taken away by the government, unlike a right which is guaranteed

party ideology***

a consistent set of beliefs and ideas about how government should function and what policies it should pursue, often guiding a political party's platform and actions

party identification***

a citizen's self-proclaimed preference for a particular political party, often seen as a form of social identity that influences voting behavior

conservatism***

a political ideology that generally favors tradition, limited government intervention in the economy and social life, and a strong emphasis on individual responsibility and traditional values

liberalism***

a political ideology that emphasizes individual rights, liberty, equality, and the importance of consent of the governed, often advocating for government action to address social and economic inequalities

libertarianism***

an ideology that emphasizes individual liberty and minimal government intervention, supporting a free market economy, non-interventionist foreign policy, and limited regulation in all aspects of life.

command and control economy

" is an economic system where the government dictates most economic activity, including production and prices, rather than relying on free market forces

mixed economy

an economic system that combines elements of both capitalism (private ownership and free markets) and socialism (government intervention and public ownership.

gross domestic product (GDP)

the total monetary value of all final goods and services produced within a country's borders during a specific period, typically one year

economic recession

a sustained period of decline in economic activity, typically marked by two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth, and characterized by a decline in production, employment, and real income

unemployment rate

the percentage of the nation's labor force that is unemployed

inflation

rising prices and devaluation of the dollar

consumer price index (CPI)

is a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by consumers for a basket of goods and services, reflecting inflation as experienced by consumers in their daily lives

fiscal policy***

that part of economic policythat is concerned with government spending and taxation.

federal reserve system

, is the central banking system of the United States, responsible for conducting monetary policy and regulating the nation's money supply and interest rates

monetary policy***

how the government manages the supply and demand of its currency and thus the value of the dollar

medicare***

a government-run health insurance program for citizens over 65 years old

medicaid***

a health care program for the impoverished who cannot afford necessary medical expenses

valence issue***

concerns or policies that are viewed in the same way by people with a variety of ideologies

wedge issue***

are used by political groups in strategic ways to gather support for an issue, especially among those who have yet to develop strong opinions. sharply divide the public

saliency***

intense importance