Chapters 5–10: Public Opinion, Political Participation, Parties, and Interest Groups

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering public opinion, political socialization, political participation, political parties, campaign finance, and interest groups.

Public Opinion

The collective attitudes and beliefs people hold about political issues, leaders, institutions, and events.

Direction

A characteristic of public opinion indicating whether people support or oppose something.

Intensity

A characteristic of public opinion reflecting how strongly people feel about an issue.

Stability

A characteristic of public opinion measuring how consistent opinions are over time.

Salience

A characteristic of public opinion denoting how important an issue is to people.

Distribution

A characteristic of public opinion describing how opinions are spread across the population.

Political Socialization

The process by which individuals learn political values, beliefs, and attitudes.

Agents of Political Socialization

Major influences through which individuals learn political values, including family (most influential), schools, peers, media, religion, events (such as 9/11 and recessions), and demographics (race, gender, and class).

Liberals

Individuals on the ideological matrix who favor freedom and equality, while placing less emphasis on order.

Conservatives

Individuals on the ideological matrix who favor freedom and order, while placing less emphasis on equality.

Libertarians

Individuals on the ideological matrix who favor maximum freedom and oppose both order and equality enforcement.

Communitarians

Individuals on the ideological matrix who favor order and equality, supporting strong government involvement.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

A government agency regulating broadcast media, including television, radio, and cable.

Equal Time or Opportunities Rule

A regulation requiring that candidates running for office must be given equal access to broadcast media time.

Right of Rebuttal

A broadcast rule stating that if a broadcaster attacks a person, that person must be given a chance to respond.

Near v. Minnesota (1931)

A landmark Supreme Court case establishing that prior restraint is unconstitutional, meaning the government cannot censor or stop publication before it occurs.

Conventional Participation

Legal, routine political activities such as voting, campaigning, donating, contacting officials, and running for office.

Unconventional Participation

Uncommon or sometimes disruptive political activities, including protests, boycotts, sit-ins, and civil disobedience.

Direct Political Action

Action taken outside traditional institutions to demand change, most commonly undertaken by younger people, those with strong political efficacy, or those who feel their group is disadvantaged.

Supportive Behaviors

Actions that show support for the political system, such as flying the flag, attending patriotic events, and obeying laws.

Influencing Behaviors

Actions aimed at changing government policy, including voting, lobbying, donating, and contacting officials.

15th Amendment

A constitutional amendment that prohibits racial discrimination in voting.

19th Amendment

A constitutional amendment that grants women the right to vote.

26th Amendment

A constitutional amendment that lowers the voting age to $18$.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Federal legislation that banned literacy tests, strengthened federal oversight of elections, and protected minority voting rights.

Political Party

An organization that seeks to win elections and control government.

Functions of Political Parties

The key roles of parties, including recruiting candidates, organizing elections, presenting policy alternatives, coordinating government officials, and linking citizens to government.

Critical Election

An election that produces a sharp change in political alignment.

Electoral Realignment

A long-term shift in party loyalty among voters.

Party Conventions

Large political meetings where parties nominate presidential candidates, approve party platforms, and rally supporters.

Party Platforms

Formal statements outlining a political party's beliefs and policy goals.

National Committees (DNC/RNC)

Party organizations responsible for running national party operations.

Congressional Party Conferences

Party groups in Congress that choose party leadership and develop strategy.

Congressional Campaign Committees

Party organizations dedicated to helping elect party members to Congress.

Responsible Party Government

A set of principles stating that parties should present clear programs, voters choose based on those programs, the winning party implements its program, and the party is held accountable.

Closed Primary

A primary election in which only registered party members can vote.

Open Primary

A primary election in which any eligible voter can choose which primary to cast a ballot in.

Caucuses

Local meetings where political party members gather to discuss and choose candidates.

Incumbent

The current holder of a political office.

Challenger

A candidate running against an incumbent officeholder.

Straight-Ticket Voting

The practice of voting for candidates of the same political party for all offices on the ballot.

Split-Ticket Voting

The practice of voting for candidates of different political parties for different offices on the ballot.

Federal Election Commission (FEC)

The independent government agency responsible for regulating campaign finance.

Campaign Contributions

Money given directly to candidates to support their political campaigns.

Campaign Expenditures

Money spent independently to support candidates rather than given directly to them.

Individual Contribution Limit

The federal limit of $\$3,500$ per federal candidate, per election for the $2025$–$2026$ cycle.

Political Action Committee (PAC)

A campaign organization that can donate money directly to candidates, subject to statutory contribution limits.

Super PAC

An independent expenditure-only committee that cannot donate directly to candidates but can raise and spend unlimited independent money.

Citizens United v. FEC (2010)

A landmark Supreme Court decision that allowed unlimited independent political spending by corporations and unions, leading directly to the rise of Super PACs.

Dark Money

Political spending where the original donor is not disclosed.

Interest Group

An organization formed to influence government policy rather than to win elections and hold government office.

Agenda Building

The process of getting public officials to pay attention to a specific issue.

Program Monitoring

The practice of tracking government programs and reporting problems or performance issues.

Free-Rider Problem

The challenge that arises when people benefit from an interest group's work or public goods without contributing to the group.

Interest-Group Entrepreneur

An individual who organizes, invests in, and leads an interest group.

Direct Lobbying

Directly meeting with and speaking to public officials to influence legislation or policy.

Grassroots Lobbying

Mobilizing the general public to pressure government officials regarding specific policies or issues.

Information Campaigns

Efforts organized to shape public opinion through the use of research, advertisements, and media.

Coalition Building

The joining together of distinct interest groups to increase their collective power and policy influence.

Pluralism

The theory that politics is fundamentally an open competition among many different organized groups.