Public Opinion and Political Participation

Demography

The study of patterns and rates of population change, including birth and death rates, migration trends, and evolving population distribution patterns.

Census

A periodic and official count of a country's population

Melting Pot

The mixing of cultures, ideas, and peoples that has changed the American nation

Minority Majority

That America will eventually cease to have a White, generally Anglo-Saxon majority. ​

Political Culture

The widely shared beliefs, values, and norms about how citizens relate to governments and to one another.​

Political Socialization

Political Participation

The many different ways that people take part in politics and government.​

Poll

A survey of public opinion

Opinion Poll

The most basic type of poll, asking citizens how they feel about a particular issue or person.​

Scientific Polling

Polls conducted by professionals with strict statistical standards to ensure accuracy.​

Exit Polls

Polls based on interviews conducted on election day with random selected voters.​

Straw Poll

Unscientific survey used to gauge public opinion on a variety of issues and policies

Sample

A subset of the whole population selected to be questioned for the purpose of prediction of gauging opinion.​

Random sampling

Method of selecting from a population in which each person has an equal probability of being selected

Sampling Error

Mistakes made in the process of taking a sample that could lead to inaccurate information about the population.​

Mass Survey

A survey given to a large number of people that usually consists of closed-ended questions. It provides a lot of data points, but little detail.​

Random-digit dialing

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

Activists

People who tend to participate in all forms of politics.​

Protest

A form of political participation designed to achieve policy change through dramatic and unconventional tactics.​

Civil Disobedience

A form of political participation that reflects a conscious decision to break a law believed to be immoral and to suffer the consequences.​

Political Efficacy

The extent to which an individual believes that her or his vote will have an impact on the result of an election. A low sense of efficacy often discourages one from voting.​

Gender gap

Difference in political views between men and women.​

Gerrymandering

Drawing a district with boundaries that favor one or more groups of voters or some candidates over another.​

Reapportionment

The process of reallocating seats in the House of Representatives every 10 years on the basis of the results of the census; Redistricting done by state legislatures; historically led to gerrymandering

Political Ideology

A more or less consistent set of beliefs about what policies the government ought to pursue.​

Liberal

Support for greater government control/regulation in economic matters and less government control/regulation of individual matters

Conservative

Support for less government control/regulation in economic matters and greater government control/regulation of individual matters

Libertarian

Support for minimal government control of both economic and social issues

Authoritarin

Support for greater government control of economic and social issues

Anarchy

Absence of government. A state of lawlessness or political disorder due to the absence of governmental authority.

Theocracy

Government of a state by immediate divine guidance or by officials who are regarded as divinely guided.​

Fascism

A political philosophy, movement, or regime (such as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition.​

Socialism

A form of rule in which the central government plays a strong role in regulating existing private industry and directing the economy, although it does allow some private ownership of productive capacity.​

Communism

A political system in which, in theory, ownership of all land and productive facilities is in the hands of the people and all goods are equally shared; the production and distribution of goods are controlled by an authoritarian government public goods.​

Moderate

A varied mix of political opinions that may lean in one direction more than others; generally does not fit directly into other categories

Progressive

Federalization of essential services; higher taxes; government is obligated to spread secular morality; favors consolidation of global power

Neo-con

Large military budget; higher taxes; government is obligated to spread traditional morality; favors aggressive foreign policy

Post-modern libertarian

Individual liberty obligated by secular morals; minimal presence of government in almost all aspects of life; decreased global infrastructure

Constitutional libertarian

Individual liberty due to privacy rights, but may hold traditional morals; minimal presence of government in almost all aspects of life; decreased global infrastructure

Anarchy

No government; personal respect and empathy in place of law and order

Tyranny

Infallible government with complete dominion; all citizens are obligated to do whatever is in the state’s best interests; morality is whatever the government mandates; the regime demands full submission to its leadership

Protectionism

Economic policy of shielding an economy from imports

Wagner Act 1935

National Labor Relation Act. Sets rules to protect unions and organizers

Income

Funds collect between any two points in time

Wealth

The value of assets owned

Medicare

Provides hospitalization insurance for elderly and optional coverage for other medical expenses

Medicaid

Public assistance program to provide health care for the poor, which is funded by both national and state government

Interdependency

mutual dependency in which the actions of nations reverberate and affect one another’s economic lifelines​

Tariffs

a tax on imported goods to raise the price, thereby protecting American businesses and workers ​

Intensity

How strong people hold an opinion

Manifest opinions

Opinions held by a widespread amount of people

Salience

Individual measure of how an issue affects that individual

Valence Issue

Issue that voters should agree on

Fiscal policy

Decisions on how the government manages the economy through taxing and spending

Monetary policy

Decisions on how the government manages the economy through control of the money supply and interest rates

Keynesian Economics

Philosophy that encourages government spending to promote economic growth stability

Supply side Economics

Philosophy that encourages tax cuts and deregulation to promote economic growth and stability