Unit 4 Vocabulary Terms US Government and Politics

Political ideology

an individual’s coherent set of beliefs about government and politics.

Demographics

the grouping of individuals based on shared characteristics, such as ancestry, race, ethnicity, and gender.

Political culture

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

Political socialization

the experience and factors that shape our political values, attitudes, and behaviors.

Scientific polling

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

Party platform

a set of positions and policy objectives that members of a political party agree to.

Liberal ideology (liberalism)

an ideology favoring less government control over social behavior and greater regulation of the economy.

Conservative ideology (conservatism)

an ideology favoring more regulation of social behavior and less government interference in the economy.