Political Socialization
How are most people politically socialized?
By their family
What are the three largest political parties in the United States and where do they fall on the political spectrum?
Republican- Conservative
Libertarian- Moderate
Democrat- Liberal
List two entities which have their own polling centers.
Universities, television networks, large newspapers, Gallup Polls
What is political culture?
The values that influence your attitudes and beliefs about the relationship between citizens and the federal government
What is a benchmark poll?
Used to gather general information about people’s views and concerns
What is political socialization?
The process by which someone acquires their political beliefs and their views on the role of the government
List where the following religions fall on the political spectrum: Protestants, Catholics, Jews
Protestants: Republican
Catholics: Republican
Jews: Democrat
What is considered a good representative sample size?
1500 people
Government should be involved in the economy to create the right level of demand for goods and services
What is a laissez-faire economic policy? Which ideology supports this?
Free market theory, or that the government should not be involved in the economy
Republicans and libertarians
Which party do African and Hispanic Americans tend to vote for?
Democrat
What is the "gender gap"? Provide an example of this.
Differences in political views between men and women. Women are more likely to be Democrats and men are more likely to be Republican.
What is the difference between a tracking poll and an exit poll?
Tracking poll: track response over a period of time
Exit poll: conducted outside of polling places on election day to predict the outcome
What is the difference between a flat tax and a progressive tax?
Flat tax: everyone pays the same rate
Progressive: the more money you earn, the higher you are taxed
List three things that can affect the accuracy of a public opinion poll.
Sample is too small
Respondents are not randomly selected
Phrasing of questions
Which parts of the country tend to be more liberal?
More conservative?
Liberal: East and North
Conservative: South
As you grow older, what happens to your political beliefs?
They become more solid and firmer. You are less likely to change your beliefs.
How does the "honeymoon period" affect presidential approval ratings?
What tends to happen to those ratings over time?
Honeymoon Period: Presidents typically begin their term with high approval
Approval ratings typically drop over the course of a president’s term
How do the political parties view NAFTA?
Republicans: approve as it opens new markets
Democrats: oppose as it can hurt American jobs
Put the following parties in order by their creation date: Libertarian, Democrat, Republican
1st: Democrat (1828)
2nd: Republican (1854)
3rd: Libertarian (1971)
What 2 external factors can affect someone's political socialization?
Historical events/the time period you live in, personal experiences
Write the 3 party beliefs for the following topics: abortion and foreign involvement
Abortion: Democrat: pro-choice, Libertarian: government shouldn't be involved, Republican: pro-life
Foreign Involvement: Democrat: reduce, not get involved, Libertarian: not be involved unless attacked, Republican: get involved
List two ways polls can affect elections.
Early debates choosing top ranked candidates to participate
Bandwagon effect: shift of support to the candidate holding the lead
Direct link between rank in polls and ability to raise funds
List the 5 core values in America.
Equality of opportunity, free enterprise, individualism, limited government, rule of law
How does the Legislative branch use polls?
The Executive Branch?
The Judicial Branch?
Legislative: try to represent their constituencies and keep them happy
Executive: determine policies to implement (not always followed though)
Judicial: don't really use them