AmGov exam 3

framing

providing context that affects the criteria citizens use to evaluate candidates, campaigns, and political issues

gender gap

the difference in political attitudes, policy preferences, and voting behavior between men and women

honeymoon period

the early period in a presidents term, usually first few months, when the president enjoys relatively high public support and positive relations with congress and the media

issue publics

groups of citizens whop are more attentive to particular areas of public policy than average citizens bc such groups have some special stake in the outcome

margin of error

a measure of the accuracy of a public opinion poll, indicating the range within which the true value in the population is likely to fall. a larger margin of error mean less precision

party identification

a persons enduring affective or instrumental attachment to one of the political parties, the most accurate single predictor of voting behavior.

political attitude

a persons specific views, feelings, or evaluations about political issues, leaders, institutions, or events

political ideology

a consistent set of beliefs about the proper role of government and how society should be organized, guiding political attitudes and policy preferences (liberalism, conservatism)

political socialization

the process by which citizens acquire their political beliefs and values

public opinion

those opinions held by private persons that the governments find it prudent to heed

rally around the flag effect

a short term surge in public support for political leader, usually president, during international crises, national emergencies, or major military actions

random sampling

a method of selecting individuals for a survey in which every member of the population has an equal chance of being chosen, increasing the likelihood that the sample accurately represents the population

sample

a subset of people selected from the larger population, used to estimate the characteristics, attitudes, or beliefs of the whole population

straw poll

an informal, non scientific poll used to gauge public opinion, often relying on convenience sampling rather than random sampling and is not reliable

conventional participation

involves traditional forms of political engagement, such as voting in elections, running for office, or joining political parties

unconventional participation

refers to non traditional or less common forms of political engagement, such as protests, demonstrations, or other unconventional activities to express political views

socioeconomic status

a person’s position in society based on a combo of facts such as income, education, and occupation. can influence political participation and voting behavior

franchise

the right to vote, aka suffrage

institutional barrier

obstacles within political institutions or systems that may limit or hinder a certain groups ability to fully participate in the political process

single issues voters

people who base their voting decisions primarily on one specific political issue or related issues

negative campaigning

campaign content that attacks an opponents positions on an issue, performance in office, or personal traits

microtargeting

the process of targeting very specific groups of potential voters.

ex. using databases that combine voter rolls with credit cards purchase info or grocery store savings clubs records to identify potential supporters

political campaign

an organized effort by a person or group to win political office or influence public opinion

open primary

an election in which voters are not required to declare their party affiliation and can choose to vote in the primary of any party

closed primary

an election in which only registered member of a specific political party are allowed to vote for the party’s candidates. aims to ensure that only party members have a say in selecting their nominees

political party

a group of individuals with shared political beliefs and goals who organize to win electrons, influence government policies and promote their vision of governance

party platform

a formal set of principles, goals, and positions adopted by a political party, outlining its stance of various issues. the platform serves as a guide for party members and communicates the party’s positions to the public

party organization

the formal structure and leadership of a political party, including local, state, and national levels. helps coordinates party activities, mobilize voters, and support candidates

duvergers law

a political science princess stating that in a winner takes all electoral system (like US) 2 dominant parties are likely to emerge over time, leading to a 2 party system

political machine

a highly organized political group that controls a political party in a city or region, often using patronage, loyalty, and sometimes corruption to maintain power

insider lobbying tactics

interest group activity that includes normal lobbying on capital hill, working closely with members of congress, and contributing money to incumbents campaigns

outsider lobbying tactics

interest group activities designed to influence elected officials by threatening to impose political costs of them if they don’t respond. tactics include marches, demonstrations, campaign contributions to opponents, and electoral mobilization

public interest group

an organization that advocates for policies and issues that it believes are in the broader public interest, often addressing concerns related to the well being of society as a whole

referendum

a direct vote by the electorate on a specific policy issue

initiative

citizens propose and vote on new laws without legislative approval

recall

voters can remove an elected official from office before the end of their term

patronage

the practice of awarding jobs, grants, licenses, or other special favors in exchange for political support

new media

digital and internet based communication technologies, including social media and online news outlets, that have expanded beyond traditional media

infotainment

increasingly popular, non traditional source of political info that combines news and entertainment.

ex talk shows, political comedies

selective exposure

the tendency of people to seek out and consume info that aligns with their existing beliefs, avoiding info that challenges their views

market driven journalism

the practice of tailoring news content and coverage based on audience preferences and market demands and to attract and retain viewers or readers

muckraking

investigative journalism that aims to expose and reform societal issues or government corruption, often associated with progressive era in the early 20th century

yellow journalism

style of journalism born of intense competition and characterized by screaming headlines and sensational stories.

agenda setting

occurs when readers and watchers of news that relates to issues or topics are influenced by what the press covers in a very specific way, it influences what they think about, not what they think

the hamster wheel

a metaphor for the continuous and demanding nature of 24/7 news cycles, where news organizations face pressure to constantly produce and update content to keep up with competition and audience expectations

radio media, television media, print media

attitudes

An organized and consistent manner of thinking and feeling about people, groups, social issues, or, more generally, any event in one’s environment.

cognitive shortcut

A mental device allowing citizens to make complex decisions based on a small amount of information. For example, a candidate’s party label serves as a shortcut by telling voters much about their positions on issues.