How Are American Political Beliefs Formed And How Do They Evolve Over Time? How Do Political Ideology And Core Values Influence Government Policy Making? What Is Political Culture? What Makes Up American Political Culture? What Is Political Socialization? What Are The Most Significant Influences On Political Socialization? What Is The Generational Effect? The Lifecycle Effect? What Are The Different Types Of Political Polls? How Can You Determine The Reliability And Validity Of A Poll? What Is The Difference Between Liberal, Conservative, And Libertarian Ideologies? How Are Political Parties And Ideology Different In The United States? Who Do Americans Vote For During Times Of Economic Hardship? What Voting Trends Do We See In Regard To Age, Race/Ethnicity, Education, Gender, Religion, Region, And Income? How Did 18-21 Year Olds Respond To The Passage Of The 26th Amendment? What Role Does Party Loyalty Play In How People Vote? Why Does The U.S. Have A Lower Voter Turnout Than Most Other Developed Democracies? What Is Political Efficacy? Who Has The Highest Efficacy? How Does This Relate To Voting? How Does The Media Influence Political Beliefs And Behaviors? Who Are The Voters? The Non-Voters? How Does Demand-Side And Supply-Side Economics Differ? What Is The Difference Between Monetary And Fiscal Policy? Study Guide For Unit 2: Political Beliefs & Behavior Chapter 6: Public Opinion And Political Action What Demographic Changes Have Occurred In The U.S., And What Are Their Political And Public Policy Consequences? What Is Political Socialization? What Is The Difference Between Formal And Informal Learning? Which Do You Think Is Most Important And Why? Give Examples To Support Your Answer. How Is Public Opinion Measured? What Scientific Techniques Are Used To Measure Public Opinion? What Are The Arguments Against Public Opinion Polling? What Are The Main Differences Between Liberals And Conservatives? What Are Some Ways People Participate In Politics? Compare Conventional And Unconventional Participation. How Do They Affect Policy Differently? Why Is Participation In America Unequal? What Are The Political And Policy Implications Of Unequal Participation? Terms To Identify & Describe Demographics Melting Pot Minority Majority Reapportionment Political Socialization Political Culture Gender Gap Political Ideology Civil Disobedience Chapter 9: Nominations & Campaigns How Is A Candidate Nominated For The Presidency? What Functions Do National Party Conventions Perform? What Criticisms Have Been Raised About The Nomination Process? Is It A Representative Process? What Are The Elements Of A Successful Political Campaign? What Impacts Do Campaigns Have On Voters? What Is The Role Of Money In Campaigns? What Campaign Finance Reforms Have Been Adopted? What Effects Have They Had? What Are The Positive And Negative Features Of Political Action Committees? How Might They Affect Politicians And Policymaking? How Do Campaign Images And Issues Conflict, Or Do They? What Is The Role Of The Media In Shaping Both? Terms To Identify & Describe Caucus Frontloading Presidential Primaries Party Platform Direct Mail Federal Election Campaign Act Federal Election Commission Political Action Committees National Party Convention Chapter 10: Elections & Voting Behavior How Has The American Election System Evolved? How Did The Election Of 2000 Contrast With Elections Of The Past, Particularly The Elections Of 1800 And 1896? What Is The Electoral Paradox Of More Suffrage And Less Participation? Why Would We Expect People To Vote More Today, And Why Do They Not? How Does The Voter Registration System Affect The Decision To Vote? What Factors Determine Why People Choose To Vote? What Groups Are Most Likely To Vote And What Groups Are Least Likely To Vote? What Are The Implications Of These Differences In Electoral Participation? Why Do People Vote The Way They Do? Which Reason Do You Think Is Most Important And Why? What Is The Electoral College And How Does It Work? What Biases In The Electoral Process Does It Introduce? Should The Electoral College System Be Preserved Or Abolished? Terms To Identify & Describe Suffrage Motor Voter Act Policy Voting Political Efficacy Voter Registration Plurality (And Plurality Elections)

plurality (& plurality elections)

Key Concepts in American Political Beliefs and Behavior

• Political Socialization: The process by which individuals form their political beliefs, influenced by family, education, media, and peers.

• Political Culture: Shared values and beliefs that shape a society's political behavior; includes concepts like democracy, individualism, and equality.

• Generational Effect: The impact of significant historical events on the political attitudes of a specific generation.

• Lifecycle Effect: Changes in political beliefs as individuals age and experience different life stages.

• Political Ideologies:

  • Liberal: Advocates for social equality and government intervention in the economy.

  • Conservative: Emphasizes tradition, limited government, and free markets.

  • Libertarian: Prioritizes individual liberty and minimal government intervention.

• Voter Turnout: Influenced by factors like age, race, education, and economic conditions; often lower in the U.S. compared to other democracies.

• Political Efficacy: The belief that one's participation can influence political processes; higher efficacy often correlates with higher voter turnout.

Polling and Public Opinion

• Types of Polls: Include tracking polls, exit polls, and opinion polls.

• Reliability and Validity: Determined by sample size, methodology, and question wording.

• Public Opinion Measurement: Utilizes scientific techniques like surveys and focus groups.

Campaigns and Elections

• Nomination Process: Involves primaries and caucuses leading to national conventions.

• Campaign Finance: Regulated by laws like the Federal Election Campaign Act; PACs play a significant role.

• Electoral College: A mechanism for electing the president, which can introduce biases in representation.

Participation and Inequality

• Conventional vs. Unconventional Participation: Conventional includes voting and campaigning; unconventional includes protests and civil disobedience.

• Unequal Participation: Affects policy outcomes and representation, often influenced by socioeconomic factors.

Demographics and Policy

• Demographic Changes: Influence political dynamics and policy priorities, such as shifts in racial and ethnic composition.

• How are American political beliefs formed and how do they evolve over time?
  Political beliefs are shaped by family, education, peers, media, and life experiences. They evolve as people encounter new ideas, social changes, and political events.

• How do political ideology and core values influence government policy making?
  Ideology and values guide lawmakers, influencing priorities such as individual liberty, social equality, and economic regulations. These affect policy choices on taxes, healthcare, and more.

• What is political culture? What makes up American political culture?
  Political culture refers to shared values and beliefs about politics. In the U.S., this includes liberty, democracy, individualism, equality, and civic duty.

• What is political socialization? What are the most significant influences on political socialization?
  Political socialization is the process by which people acquire political beliefs. Family, education, peers, media, and major life events are significant influences.

• What is the generational effect? The lifecycle effect?
  The generational effect refers to the lasting impact of political events on one generation’s views. The lifecycle effect refers to how people’s views change as they age, often becoming more conservative.

• What are the different types of political polls?
  Types include opinion polls, tracking polls, exit polls, and push polls, each serving different purposes like measuring public opinion or gauging electoral trends.

• How can you determine the reliability and validity of a poll?
  A reliable poll has a representative sample, clear questions, and transparent methodology. Validity depends on accuracy in reflecting public opinion.

• What is the difference between Liberal, Conservative, and Libertarian ideologies?
  Liberals favor more government intervention in the economy and social programs. Conservatives emphasize limited government and personal responsibility. Libertarians advocate minimal government in both economic and social issues.

• How are political parties and ideology different in the United States?
  Political parties are organized groups seeking to win elections, while ideology refers to a broader set of beliefs about government’s role. Parties often align with ideologies but are not strictly ideological.

• Who do Americans vote for during times of economic hardship?
  Voters often support candidates who promise economic stability, job creation, and relief, favoring those with economic-focused platforms.

• What voting trends do we see in regard to age, race/ethnicity, education, gender, religion, region, and income?
  Younger voters lean Democratic, older voters Republican. Minorities favor Democrats, whites tend toward Republicans. Higher education correlates with liberal views, while rural areas and religious voters lean conservative.

• How did 18-21 year olds respond to the passage of the 26th Amendment?
  Initially, the youth voting turnout was strong following the amendment, which lowered the voting age to 18, but participation has fluctuated since.

• What role does party loyalty play in how people vote?
  Party loyalty is a strong predictor of voting behavior, with many voters consistently supporting candidates from their preferred party regardless of individual policy stances.

• Why does the U.S. have a lower voter turnout than most other developed democracies?
  Barriers include voter registration processes, less civic engagement, voter apathy, and the winner-takes-all electoral system.

• What is political efficacy? Who has the highest efficacy? How does this relate to voting?
  Political efficacy is the belief that one’s vote matters. Higher levels of efficacy are seen among educated, wealthy citizens, which increases their likelihood of voting.

• How does the media influence political beliefs and behaviors?
  The media shapes political opinions by framing issues, providing information, and influencing public perceptions of candidates and policies.

• Who are the voters? The non-voters?
  Voters tend to be older, wealthier, and more educated. Non-voters often include younger people, lower-income individuals, and those with less political efficacy.

• How does demand-side and supply-side economics differ?
  Demand-side economics focuses on boosting consumer spending to drive growth, while supply-side economics emphasizes tax cuts and deregulation to encourage production.

• What is the difference between monetary and fiscal policy?
  Monetary policy is controlled by central banks, focusing on interest rates and money supply. Fiscal policy is managed by the government, involving taxation and spending decisions.