unit 4 ap gov us

political culture

the dominant set of beliefs, customs, traditions, and values that define the relationship between citizens and the government

individualism

belief that individuals should be responsible for themselves and for the decisions they make

Laissez-faire

government should not interfere with the economy

Rule of Law

noone, including public officials (including the president), above the law. (impeachment)

political socialization

refers to the experiences and factors that shape an individuals political ideology

political ideology

a coherent set of beliefs about government and politics

generational effect

the impact of historical events experienced by a generation upon their political views

life cycle effect

political issues influenced by a persons stage in life

Globalization

the increasing interconnectedness of people, businesses, and countries throughout the world

Outsourcing

occurs when a company moves its businesses to a place where labor costs are cheaper or production is more efficient because workers work longer ours

public opinion

an individuals own beliefs and attitudes and the blendings of these individuals preferences into a large concept

focus group

a small group of individuals assembled for a conversation about specific issues

scientific poll

poll of randomly selected respondents with a statistically significant sample size using neutral language

Sample

group of individuals from a larger population used to measure public opinions

random selection

means that everyone who os an appropriate subject of the poll has an equal chance of being selected for a survey

sample error

margin of error, plus or minus 3 percentages

mass survey

a way to measure public opinion by interviewing a large sample of the population, usually 1500 or more

entrance survey

a poll of people coming into an event

exit poll

a survey taken at polling places of how people voted

benchmark poll

Taken at the beginning of a campaign to provide a baseline against which campaign/candidate's effectiveness is measured

tracking polls

determine the level of support for a candidate or an issue over length of a campaign

random digit dialing

use of telephone exchanges and a table of random numbers to contact respondents with unlisted phone numbers

question order

preceding questions can anchor perceptions, frame interpretations, and encourage consistent responding on later questions

question wording

Make Sure the Wording is Clear

Avoid Biasing the Respondent

Consider the Respondent's Ability to Answer the Questions

Consider the Respondent's Willingness to Answer the Question

right

something that the government cannot take away

privilege

a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group of people.

party ideology

a party's philosophy about the proper role of government and itself of positions on major issues

party identification

loyalty of people to a political party

Conservatism

republican, more control over social behavior, fewer regulations on businesses, and less government intervention in the economy

Liberalism

democrat, supports less government control over social behavior and more regulation of business and of the economy

Liberatarianism

3rd ideology, favors very little government regulation and intervention beyond protecting private property and individual liberty

command and control economy

A type of economic policy in which government dictates much of a nation's economic activity, including the amount of production and prices for goods

mixed economy

U.S. many decisions are left to individuals and business

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

measures the total value of goods and services produced by american economic activity

economic recession

A period of economic decline when demand for work is low or even stops.

unemployment rate

measured by the percentage of people actively looking for work who are unable to find jobs

Inflation

the rise in the prices of goods and services

Consumer Price Index (CPI)

measures the cost of a basket of goods and services for an urban family over time

fiscal policy

uses changes in government spending and taxes to affect overall spending

monetary policy

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

Federal Reserve System

federal body that regulates the money supply by controlling open-market operations; buying and selling of government securities; and establishing reserve requirements, the legal limitations on money reserves that banks must keep against the amount of money they have deposited in Federal Reserve Banks and through discount rates, and the rate at which banks can borrow money from the Federal Reserve System

Medicare

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

Medicaid

A federal and state assistance program that pays for health care services for people who cannot afford them.

Laissez-faire economics

hands off approach to government; the government should not interfere in the economy

representative sample

a sample that accurately reflects the characteristics of the population as a whole

weighting

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