AP GOV: The American Political Landscape (terms)

Ethnocentrism

Belief in the superiority of one’s nation or ethnic group.

Political Socialization

The process by whucg we develop our political attitudes, values and beliefs

Demographics

The study of the characteristics of populations.

Political predisposition

A characteristic of individuals that is predictive of political behavior.

Reinforcing cleavages

Divisions within society that reinforce one another, making groups

more homogenous or similar.

Cross-cutting cleavages

Divisions within society that cut across demographic categories to

produce groups that are more heterogeneous or different.

Manifest destiny

A notion held by a nineteenth-century Americans that the United States was

destined to rule the continent, from the Atlantic the Pacific.

Race

A grouping of human beings with distinctive characteristics determined by genetic

inheritance.

Ethnicity

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

Gender gap

The difference between the political opinions or political behavior of men and of

women.

Fundamentalists

Conservative Christians who (as a group) have become more active in politics in the last two decades and were especially influential in the 2000 presidential election.

Gross domestic product (GDP)

The total output of all economic activity in the nation, including goods and services.

Socioeconomic status (SES)

A division of population based on occupation, income, and

education.