unit 4 test vocab

focus group

A small group of individuals who are led in discussion by a professional consultant in order to gather opinions on and responses to candidates and issues.

scientific poll

Precise polls that accurately measure a cross-section of the American population to make extrapolations about the entire population

Sample

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

random selection

a method of choosing all poll respondents in a way that does not over or underrepresent any group of the population

representative sample

a sample that accurately reflects the characteristics of the population as a whole

sampling error

margin of error in a poll

mass survey

a survey designed to measure the opinions of the population, usually consisting of 1500 responses

entrance survey

a poll conducted of people coming into an event

exit poll

a poll of people leaving a polling place, asking how they voted.

benchmark poll

a survey taken at the beginning of a political campaign in order to gauge support for a candidate which issues are important to voters

random digit dialing

A technique used by pollsters to place telephone calls randomly to both listed and unlisted numbers when conducting a survey.

question order

A type of bias that can occur in sample surveys, in which the order of the question influences the responses of participants

question wording

the phrasing of a question in a public opinion poll

political culture

commonly shared attitudes, beliefs, and core values about how government should operate

Individualism

a social theory favoring freedom of action for individuals over collective or state control.

Laissez-Faire

Idea that government should play as small a role as possible in economic affairs

rule of law

principle that the law applies to everyone, even those who govern

political socialization

the process by which people gain their political attitudes and opinions

political ideology

a coherent set of beliefs about government and politics

generational effect

the impact of historical events experienced by a generation upon political views

life cycle effect

the impact of a person's age and stage in life on his or her political views

Globalization

the increasing interconnectedness of people, businesses, and countries throughout the world.

Outsourcing

when a company moves its business to a place where labor costs are cheaper or production is more efficient because workers work longer hours.

Limited government

A principle of constitutional government; a government whose powers are defined and limited by a constitution.

party ideology

a party's philosophy about the proper role of government and its set of positions on major issues

party identification

a citizen's self-proclaimed preference for one party or the other

Conservatism

an ideology favoring more control of social behavior, fewer regulations on businesses, and less government interference in the economy

Liberalism

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

Libertarianism

an ideology favoring very little government regulation and intervention beyond protecting private and individual liberty

laissez-faire economy

economic policy in which governments intrude as little as possible in the economic transactions between citizens and businesses

command-and-control economy

economic policy in which government dictates much of a nation's economic activity, including the amount of productions and the price of goods

Mixed economy

An economy in which private enterprise exists in combination with a considerable amount of government regulation and promotion.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

A measurement of the total goods and services produced within a country

unemployment rate

the percentage of people actively looking for jobs who cannot find jobs.

Inflation

the rise in the prices of goods and services

Federal Reserve System

a board of governors, Federal Reserve Banks, and member banks responsible for monetary policy

Medicare

A federal program of health insurance for persons 65 years of age and older

Medicaid

A federal and state assistance program that pays for health care services for people who cannot afford them.

tracking polls

a survey determining the level of support for a candidate or an issue throughout campaign