AP GOV TOPIC 4 - VOCAB

Political culture

Shared beliefs, values, and norms about government and politics in a society.

Political ideology

A set of beliefs about the role and purpose of government.

Political socialization

The process by which individuals acquire political beliefs and values.

Public opinion

The collective attitudes of individuals about political issues and government.

Polling

The process of measuring public opinion through surveys.

Random sampling

A method where every individual has an equal chance of being selected.

Representative sample

A sample that accurately reflects the characteristics of a population.

Sampling error

The difference between poll results and actual public opinion.

Question wording bias

When the phrasing of a question influences responses.

Liberal ideology

A belief favoring government action to promote equality and social welfare.

Conservative ideology

A belief favoring limited government and free markets.

Government intervention

The involvement of government in economic or social issues.

Free market

An economic system with minimal government interference.

Regulation

Government rules imposed on businesses or individuals.

Taxation

The process of collecting revenue from individuals and businesses.

Welfare

Government programs that provide financial assistance to individuals.

Economic policy

Government actions that influence the economy.

Social policy

Government actions addressing social issues like education or healthcare.

Liberty

The value of individual freedom.

Equality

The value that all people should have equal rights and opportunities.

Individualism

The belief that individuals are responsible for their own success.

Democracy

A system where people have power in government.

Rule of law

The principle that laws apply equally to all individuals.

Political socialization agents

Factors like family, school, peers, and media that shape political beliefs.

Family influence

Family plays a major role in forming early political views.

School influence

Education shapes civic knowledge and political attitudes.

Peer influence

Friends and social groups affect beliefs and behaviors.

Media influence

Media shapes how people perceive political issues.

Ideological change

Political beliefs shift over time due to events and generational differences.

Generational change

Differences in beliefs across age groups influence ideology.

Historical events

Events like wars or crises can reshape political attitudes.

Public opinion influence

Public opinion affects elections and policymaking.

Polling validity

Reliable polls require proper sampling and neutral wording.

Polling bias

Polls can be skewed by poor design or sampling.

Ideology and policymaking

Political beliefs shape policy preferences and decisions.

Voting behavior influence

Ideology influences how individuals vote.

Economic policy debates

Disagreements over regulation, taxation, and welfare.

Social policy debates

Disagreements over issues like civil rights, healthcare, and education.

Federalist No. 10

Discusses factions and their influence on public opinion and policy.

Federalist No. 51

Explains checks and balances and their effect on political beliefs.

Equal Protection Clause (policy relevance)

Used to evaluate fairness in laws affecting different groups.

First Amendment (speech & ideology expression)

Protects expression of political beliefs.

Political ideology frameworks

Systems used to categorize political beliefs (liberal vs conservative).

Public opinion theory

Study of how and why people form political opinions.

Representation theory

Theories about how elected officials represent constituents.