GENERAL INFO
What does the term "public opinion" refer to?
ideas that most people hold about a particular issue
Does age and genger play important roles in peoples oublic opinion?
yes
In what three terms of features is public opion often described?
1.direction
2.intensity
3.stability
T or F? A common way of measuring public opinion is with public opinion polls.
True
What is the typical size of a poll sample?
1500 people
Why is public opinion important?
It shapes decisions in democracy.
What is a medium?
a means of communication
What does the stability of public opion mean?
how firmly people hold to their views.
what is one way to messure public opinion?
by looking at election results
What is the job of a pollster?
conduct polls and measure public opinion.
How does public opinion affect presidents?
need it for support.
What is one way interest groups communicate with government officials?
government officials through lobbying.
What does the term "direction" refer to in public opinion?
whether the public opinion on a given topic is positive or negative
What are push polls?
are worded to influence a person’s responses one way or another.
How can public opinion be measured more accurately?
public opinion polls.
How does public opinion influence government officials?
support makes them listen.
How can public officials influence public opinion?
through speeches, media appearances,or policies.
How does public opinion typically vary on most topics?
with some people expressing positive opinions and others holding negative opinions.
Is public opinion the only influence on public policy?
No
Who was Ethel Percy Andrus?
A teacher and leader.
Is public opinion a uniform?
no
What factors influence public opinion?
background, the mass media, public officials, and interest groups.
What does "intensity" refer to in public opinion?
strength of an opinion on a given issue.
how does pollster find out peoples true opinion?
they must be careful how they word their questions.
T or F? Pollers question people selected ramdom from all over the world.
False.