Shaping Public Opinion
Which of the following is not typically considered a major influence on political socialization?
A) Family
B) Schools
C) Weather patterns
D) Mass media
C) Weather patterns
What is a primary purpose of media campaigns in politics?
A) To write new laws in Congress
B) To influence public opinion using various platforms
C) To directly fund candidates’ salaries
D) To enforce election laws
B) To influence public opinion using various platforms
What is the main purpose of an interest group?
A) To run for political office
B) To entertain the public
C) To influence public policy and government decisions
D) To count votes during elections
C) To influence public policy and government decisions
Who can be a lobbyist?
A) Only lawyers
B) Only elected officials
C) Anyone who contacts government officials to influence policy
D) Only people working in the White House
C) Anyone who contacts government officials to influence policy
How do lobbyists contribute to drafting bills?
A) They vote on legislation in Congress.
B) They submit bills to the Supreme Court.
C) They help write or offer input on proposed laws.
D) They only protest against bills they dislike.
C) They help write or offer input on proposed laws.
3 Main Factors that describe the nature of public opinion:
A) Diversity, Communication, and Significant Numbers
B) Majority Groups, Interest Groups, and Significant Numbers
C) Common Opinion, Vote, Communication
D) Common Opinion, Significant numbers, Majority Groups
A) Diversity, Communication, and Significant Numbers
What is the main goal of lobbying?
A) To run for office
B) To influence public officials and policy decisions
C) To register political parties
D) To elect judges
B) To influence public officials and policy decisions
Which of the following is an example of an economic interest group?
A) Greenpeace
B) The American Medical Association
C) National Rifle Association
D) League of Women Voters
B) The American Medical Association
What is one way lobbyists try to influence lawmakers?
A) By baking them cookies
B) By providing useful information and research
C) By ignoring their policies
D) By running for office themselves
B) By providing useful information and research
Which strategy would an interest group most likely use to influence public opinion on a proposed policy?
A) Launching a media campaign or organizing public demonstrations
B) Holding private meetings with judges
C) Filing a lawsuit in the Supreme Court
D) Creating new laws directly
A) Launching a media campaign or organizing public demonstrations
3. What is the potential danger of media “narrowcasting” and the “echo chamber effect”?
A) It helps people become more educated about diverse viewpoints
B) It causes people to adopt government-approved opinions
C) It limits exposure to differing views, reinforcing existing beliefs
D) It ensures fair and balanced news coverage
C) It limits exposure to differing views, reinforcing existing beliefs
Which of the following is a strategy interest groups use to influence public policy?
A) Impeaching officials
B) Using litigation and advertising
C) Running for office themselves
D) Censoring media content
B) Using litigation and advertising
How do interest groups typically influence government policy?
A) By making laws directly
B) By voting multiple times in elections
C) By lobbying legislators and providing information
D) By replacing government officials
C) By lobbying legislators and providing information
What is random sampling, and why is it important in conducting accurate polls?
A) It selects participants based on their opinions to ensure diverse views.
B) It chooses individuals who are most likely to respond.
C) It gives everyone in the universe an equal chance of being selected, helping the sample reflect the universe.
D) It only includes people from specific regions or demographics.
C) It gives everyone in the universe an equal chance of being selected, helping the sample reflect the universe.
What is the concept of government regarding public opinion?
A) “of the people, by the people, and for the people.”
B) The government should listen to the people.
C) A government reflects the will of its citizens.
D) Democracy depends on informed and active participation
A) “of the people, by the people, and for the people.”
What is Political Efficacy?
A) The idea that government will not take any action regarding public issues
B) Government and political efficiency to handle public opinion’s issues
C) Belief that a person can have an impact on government and policy
D) Changes by public opinion
C) Belief that a person can have an impact on government and policy
Which of the following best describes a traditional PAC?
A) Can raise unlimited funds and avoid donor disclosure.
B) Can donate $5,000 per candidate per election.
C) Can only support political parties, not candidates.
D) Does not need to register with the government.
B) Can donate $5,000 per candidate per election.
What is the main difference between interest groups and political parties?
A) Interest groups focus on elections, political parties don’t
B) Political parties only exist during election periods
C) Political parties can’t influence government decisions
D) Interest groups focus on specific issues, while political parties aim to win elections and control government
D) Interest groups focus on specific issues, while political parties aim to win elections and control government
Why might the results of a poll be unreliable even if the sampling was done randomly?
A) Random sampling always guarantees perfect accuracy.
B) The sample might be too large to manage.
C) People might lie, questions might be poorly written, or there might be bias from sponsors.
D) Polls are always biased no matter what.
C) People might lie, questions might be poorly written, or there might be bias from sponsors.
1. What is the main goal of lobbying?
A) To entertain politicians
B) To influence public policy and government decisions
C) To organize protests
D) To write laws themselves
B) To influence public policy and government decisions
What were the two main goals the Framers of the Constitution had in creating a representative democracy?
A) To increase federal power and reduce state influence
B) To give people a voice in government and protect government from uninformed public opinion
C) To eliminate political parties and ensure direct voting
D) To allow the president full control over legislation
B) To give people a voice in government and protect government from uninformed public opinion
Which of the following is true about Super PACs?
A) They can donate directly to candidates.
B) They are limited in how much money they can raise.
C) They can spend unlimited money independently of campaigns.
D) They are not required to disclose any donors.
C) They can spend unlimited money independently of campaigns.
Which of the following best explains how interest groups maintain long-term influence over policy decisions within the “iron triangle” framework?
A) By donating to political campaigns in exchange for votes on bills
B) By forming mutually beneficial relationships with congressional committees and bureaucratic agencies
C) By rotating their members through leadership positions in Congress
D) By sponsoring large public protests to pressure lawmakers directly
A) By donating to political campaigns in exchange for votes on bills
How does increasing the sample size affect the sampling error, and what other techniques can pollsters use to improve accuracy?
A) It increases sampling error; pollsters also ignore weighting.
B) It decreases sampling error; pollsters may adjust results to fix sampling flaws.
C) It has no effect on sampling error; accuracy depends only on question wording.
D) It makes interpretation harder; pollsters rely only on sponsorships for accuracy.
B) It decreases sampling error; pollsters may adjust results to fix sampling flaws.
What is our teacher's name?
Ms. Laurene Barbosa Soares de Oliveira