Question 1

A survey question such as "How many times in the past few months have you used drugs?" is problematic because ______.

Accepted Answer

A)   the question is confusing
B)   it is likely that few people have thought about the issue
C)   the question is not balanced
D)   the question is worded as a double negative
E)   the question is ambiguous and loaded

Question 2

The gender gap is especially large on issues of ______.

Accepted Answer

A)   pay
B)   violence
C)   voting
D)   education

Question 3

Self-interest is a source of ______.

Accepted Answer

A)   agreement in society
B)   manipulation by politicians in society
C)   the lack of support for good public policies only by the uneducated in society
D)   divisions in society
E)   socialization in society

Question 4

The textbook identifies four characteristics of ideal citizenship and concludes that only some Americans live up to them.The authors argue,however,that Americans as a group behave in a much more rational manner than one would expect from their failure to meet the characteristics.Name the four characteristics,and discuss the evidence for the authors' conclusion that most Americans do not meet the standards.Explain how Americans as a group can behave so rationally if they are not rational as individuals.

Accepted Answer

The four characteristics include being a...

Question 5

The textbook does NOT argue the following:

Accepted Answer

A)   Self-interest is a source of division in public opinion.
B)   Self-interest is a source of agreement in public opinion.
C)   The major focus of self-interest is economic well-being.
D)   Many people express opinions that seem to run counter to concerns over self-interest.
E)   Self-interest is one of several factors affecting opinions.

Question 6

The portion of the population selected to participate in a poll is known as the ______.

Accepted Answer

A)   population
B)   public
C)   focus group
D)   deliberative group
E)   sample

Question 7

Which of the following is NOT true regarding polling?

Accepted Answer

A)   Sampling bias is not generally a problem that plagues pollsters.
B)   A sample of 1,000 to 2,000 respondents can be very representative of the entire U.S. population.
C)   How the question is worded can lead a person to give significantly different answers.
D)   Few differences exist between those who choose to participate in polls and those who do not.
E)   A poll that showed Candidate A with 48 percent of the vote and Candidate B with 45 percent of the vote, with a sampling error of 3 percent, means that we can be 95 percent sure that Candidate A is leading.

Question 8

When politicians try to determine public opinion by listening to their supporters and friendly interest groups,they are likely to face the problem of ______.

Accepted Answer

A)   erroneous data
B)   sampling error
C)   sample bias
D)   push polling
E)   straw men polling

Question 9

In recent years,the influence of ideology and partisanship on political divisions in American society has changed.Define these two terms,and then discuss how they influence political divisions today.

Accepted Answer

Students should define ideology as a set...

Question 10

______ are instrumental in designing campaign strategy.

Accepted Answer

The answer of ______ are instrumental in designing campaign strategy....

Question 11

When politicians try to determine public opinion by listening to their supporters and friendly interest groups,they are likely to face the problem of _______.

Accepted Answer

The answer of When politicians try to determine public opinion...

Question 12

The authors of the textbook argue that public opinion matters because ______.

Accepted Answer

A)   it should matter
B)   the public has far more power to influence events than politicians realize
C)   the public is too knowledgeable for politicians to ignore
D)   the news media covers public opinion and thereby gives it more importance than politicians would prefer
E)   politicians and the media treat public opinion as if it matters

Question 13

Unscientific polls that are often conducted by newspapers and politicians to determine who is ahead in a political race are called ______ polls.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Unscientific polls that are often conducted by...

Question 14

Tracking polls are significant because they ______.

Accepted Answer

A)   are able to catch daily changes in public opinion that other horse race polls cannot
B)   help candidates devise their campaign strategies
C)   have caused the public to question the accuracy of polls
D)   are inexpensive to conduct
E)   allow pundits to make predictions on Election Day

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT an argument put forth by the textbook's authors?

Accepted Answer

A)   The higher the level of education, the more tolerance people tend to demonstrate on surveys.
B)   Education may be related to knowing the right answers rather than actually being more tolerant.
C)   There are important cases in American history in which the educated elites were the leaders of intolerant behavior.
D)   In many ways, less educated people are more tolerant than educated people.
E)   Some observers argue that elites are the protectors of our democratic values.

Question 16

With respect to constructing survey questions,all of the following statements are true EXCEPT this one:

Accepted Answer

A)   Respondents are often willing to give opinions on subjects about which they know little or nothing.
B)   Questions should not be ambiguous.
C)   Similar questions can yield surprisingly different answers.
D)   The order in which questions are asked can change the results.
E)   Surveys tend to underestimate the racial tolerance of the American people.

Question 17

The process by which we learn our political orientations and allegiances is called political adherence.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

The danger of majority tyranny in a democracy most likely would result from ______.

Accepted Answer

A)   majority rule without the tempering influence of debate and discussion
B)   the growing influence of the media
C)   the tendency of citizens to vote emotionally in elections
D)   too many procedural restraints on Congress
E)   an uninformed public

Question 19

A survey question such as,"Do you support or oppose being allowed to take the Lifetime Learning Credit during years in which you pay for postsecondary education with a distribution from an education IRA?" is problematic because ______.

Accepted Answer

A)   the question is loaded
B)   the question is not balanced
C)   it is likely that few people have thought about the issue
D)   the question is worded as a double negative
E)   the question is ambiguous

Question 20

A plebiscite is ______.

Accepted Answer

A)   a proposed constitutional convention to update the Constitution
B)   a law that grants ex-felons the right to vote
C)   an amendment to the Constitution
D)   a parliamentary system to replace the current system of separation of powers
E)   a popular vote on national policy issues

Exam 11: Public Opinion

The authors of the textbook argue that public opinion matters because ______.

Correct Answer
verified

A survey question such as "How many times in the past few months have you used drugs?" is problematic because ______.

Correct Answer
verified

With respect to constructing survey questions,all of the following statements are true EXCEPT this one:

Correct Answer
verified

The portion of the population selected to participate in a poll is known as the ______.

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified
The four characteristics include being a...
View Answer

In recent years,the influence of ideology and partisanship on political divisions in American society has changed.Define these two terms,and then discuss how they influence political divisions today.

Correct Answer
verified
Students should define ideology as a set...
View Answer

The danger of majority tyranny in a democracy most likely would result from ______.

Correct Answer
verified

Unscientific polls that are often conducted by newspapers and politicians to determine who is ahead in a political race are called ______ polls.

Correct Answer
verified

When politicians try to determine public opinion by listening to their supporters and friendly interest groups,they are likely to face the problem of _______.

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the following is NOT an argument put forth by the textbook's authors?

Correct Answer
verified

The textbook does NOT argue the following:

Correct Answer
verified

The process by which we learn our political orientations and allegiances is called political adherence.

Correct Answer
verified

When politicians try to determine public opinion by listening to their supporters and friendly interest groups,they are likely to face the problem of ______.

Correct Answer
verified

Self-interest is a source of ______.

Correct Answer
verified

A survey question such as,"Do you support or oppose being allowed to take the Lifetime Learning Credit during years in which you pay for postsecondary education with a distribution from an education IRA?" is problematic because ______.

Correct Answer
verified

The gender gap is especially large on issues of ______.

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the following is NOT true regarding polling?

Correct Answer
verified

______ are instrumental in designing campaign strategy.

Correct Answer
verified

Tracking polls are significant because they ______.

Correct Answer
verified

A plebiscite is ______.

Correct Answer
verified

Exam 11: Public Opinion

The authors of the textbook argue that public opinion matters because ______.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

A survey question such as "How many times in the past few months have you used drugs?" is problematic because ______.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

With respect to constructing survey questions,all of the following statements are true EXCEPT this one:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The portion of the population selected to participate in a poll is known as the ______.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct AnswerverifiedThe four characteristics include being a...View AnswerShow Answer

In recent years,the influence of ideology and partisanship on political divisions in American society has changed.Define these two terms,and then discuss how they influence political divisions today.

Correct AnswerverifiedStudents should define ideology as a set...View AnswerShow Answer

The danger of majority tyranny in a democracy most likely would result from ______.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Unscientific polls that are often conducted by newspapers and politicians to determine who is ahead in a political race are called ______ polls.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

When politicians try to determine public opinion by listening to their supporters and friendly interest groups,they are likely to face the problem of _______.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following is NOT an argument put forth by the textbook's authors?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The textbook does NOT argue the following:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The process by which we learn our political orientations and allegiances is called political adherence.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

When politicians try to determine public opinion by listening to their supporters and friendly interest groups,they are likely to face the problem of ______.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Self-interest is a source of ______.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

A survey question such as,"Do you support or oppose being allowed to take the Lifetime Learning Credit during years in which you pay for postsecondary education with a distribution from an education IRA?" is problematic because ______.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The gender gap is especially large on issues of ______.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following is NOT true regarding polling?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

______ are instrumental in designing campaign strategy.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Tracking polls are significant because they ______.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

A plebiscite is ______.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified
The four characteristics include being a...
View Answer

Correct Answer
verified
Students should define ideology as a set...
View Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified