AP US GOV - POLITICAL BELIEFS AND BEHAVIORS

unit iv

Suffrage

The right to vote

VEP

The number or percentage of people in a country who are eligible or allowed to vote in an election

VAP

The percentage of people in a country who are eligible to vote because they satisfy the minimum age requirement.

Political Culture

Political beliefs and attitudes concerning government and the political process held by a group of people,

Census

An actual enumeration (counting) of the population required every 10 years by the US Constitution in order to determine allocation of seats in the House of Representatives and for the Electoral College.

Civic Duty

The belief that citizens have an obligation to participate in civic and political affairs.

Culture War

A split in the USA reflecting differences in people's beliefs about private and public morality; and regarding what standards ought to govern individual behavior and social arrangements.

Equality of Opportunity

A value in American Political Culture which maintains that all people should have the same chance to succeed and get ahead.

Ethnicity

A social division based on national origin, religion, language, and often race.

"Melting Pot" Theory

Social science theory that as minorities and ethnic groups associate with other groups, they are assimilated into the rest of American society and come to share democratic values like majority rule, individualism, and America as the "land of opportunity".

Minority-Majority

The situation, likely to occur in the 21st century, in which the Non-Hispanic Whites will represent a minority of the US population and where minority groups taken together will represent a majority of the US population.

Nationalism

Pride in and Love for your country

Orthodox View

One of 2 camps in the culture war that believes morality is as important (or even more so) than self-expression and that moral rules are derived from God.

Progressive View

One of 2 camps in the culture war that believes personal freedom is more important than traditional rules and that rules depend on the circumstances of modern life.

"Salad Bowl" Theory

Social science theory that, like a salad, all of the ingredients go into American society but all parts can be distinguished from the whole. So differences among groups should not be discouraged.

Political Socialization

The process through individuals in a society acquire political attitudes, views, and knowledge based on input from agents of socialization.

Family

The strongest Agent of Socialization for most people

Crosscutting Cleavages

Divisions within society that make groups more heterogeneous or different, like most issues in American politics.

Demographics

The science and study of the different characteristics of poulations.

Exit Polls

Polls based on interviews conducted on Election Day with randomly selected voters and used to predict electoral winners with speed and precision.

Poll

A survey of Public Opinion

Public Opinion

The distribution of the population's beliefs about politics and policy issues.

Random Sample

The key technique employed by survey researchers, which operates on the principle that everyone should have an equal probability of being selected for the sample.

Reinforcing Cleavages

Divisions within a society that reinforce one another, making groups more homogeneous or similar.

Sample

A relatively small proportion of people who are chosen in a survey so as to be representative of the whole group.

Sampling Error

The level of confidence in the findings of a public opinion poll. The more people interviewed, the more confident one can be in the results.

Socioeconomic Status

A measure of one's social standing, obtained through such measures as years of education, income, and occupation.

Political Ideology

A coherent set of beliefs held by a person or a group about politics, public policy, and public purpose, which helps give meaning to political events.

Conservative

A term for a set of beliefs that includes a limited role for the national government in economic matters, support for traditional values and lifestyles, and a cautious response to change.

Gender Gap `

The political differences between men and women.

Liberal

One who is open to change to improve the political system and who believes in increased government role over economic matters and in preserving personal freedoms

Libertarian

A political ideology that advocates a small, weak government and which is conservative on economic matters and liberal on social issues.

Political Spectrum

The range of political ideas and beliefs.

Radical

Extremist political groups who advocate substantial or fundamental political, social and economic changes to a new system.

Reactionary

A person who advocates substantial political, social or economic changes, favoring a return to an earlier, more conservative system.

Political Participation

All of the activities use by citizens to influence the selection of political leaders and the policies they pursue.

Civil Disobedience

A form of political participation based on a conscious decision to break a law or to refuse to obey a law believed to be unjust while being willing to suffer the consequences for such a decision

External Political Efficacy

The belief that the political system will respond to citizens and that your vote matters.

Generational Effect

The effect that events have on the political opinions, thoughts, and preferences of people from a single generation.

Internal Political Efficacy

Confidence in one's own ability to understand and to take part in political affairs.

Partisanship

Identification with a Political Party

Solid South

The historically tendency of the southern states to vote democratic after the Civil War up to the 1960s.

15th Amendment

Cannot deny the right to vote based on race

Motor Voter Bill

1993 Law passed by Congress that requires states to create a system in which people can register to vote when applying for a driver's license.

Poll Tax

a Required payment before one was permitted to vote

17th Amendment

Direct election of Senators

19th Amendment

Cannot deny the right to vote based on gender

23rd Amendment

Gave Washington DC 3 Electoral College votes for the US President

24th Amendment

Abolished the Poll Tax

26th Amendment

Lowered the voting age to 18 years

social capital

the networks of relationships among people who live and work in a particular society, enabling that society to function effectively.

political efficacy

The ability to understand one's political system, their role in the system, and a belief that one's political participation makes a difference.