Public Opinion and Polling

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to public opinion, polling methods, the role of significant figures in polling, and how public opinion influences democratic representation.

Public Opinion

The sum of individual attitudes about government policies and issues.

George Gallup

An American pioneer of survey sampling techniques; founder of the Gallup Organization, known for accurately predicting the 1936 presidential election.

Scientific Polling

A representative poll of randomly selected respondents used to measure public opinion.

Sampling Error

The margin of error in a poll, usually calculated to plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Representative Sample

A sample that reflects the demographics of the larger population.

Focus Group

A small number of individuals assembled for a conversation about specific issues, led by a moderator.

Push Poll

A negative campaign tactic disguised as a survey, presenting voters with negative portrayals of opposing candidates.

Benchmark Poll

A survey taken at the beginning of a political campaign to gauge support for a candidate and understand voter issues.

Tracking Polls

Surveys that determine the level of support for a candidate or an issue throughout a campaign.

Gender Gap

A pattern where American women are more likely to vote Democratic and men are more likely to vote Republican.

Mass Survey

A large survey designed to measure the opinions of the population, usually consisting of about fifteen hundred responses.

Entrance and Exit Polls

Surveys conducted at political events to measure voter opinions before and after the event.

Weighting

A procedure to adjust survey results according to the demographics of the larger population.

Life-Cycle Effect

The impact of an individual's stage in life on their political opinions.

Political Ideology

A set of beliefs about the role of government and public policy.

Civic Literacy

Understanding of civic knowledge and engagement in political processes.

Straw Poll

An unofficial count of opinion or support at a political event, not based on random selection.