POL 106: TEST THREE
77 Cards in this Set
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public opinion
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the collective attitudes and beliefs of individuals on one or more issues
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public opinion polls
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scientific efforts to estimate what an entire group thinks about an issue by asking a smaller sample of the group for its opinion
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political socialization
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the process by which we learn our political orientations and allegiances
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gender gap
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the tendency of men and women to differ in their political views on some issues
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marriage gap
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the tendency for marries people to hold political opinions that differ from those of people who have never married
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random sample
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sample chosen is such a way that any member of the population being polled has an equal chance of being selected
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sample bias
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the effect of having a sample that does not represent all segments of the population
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sampling error
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a number that indicates within what range the results of a poll are accurate
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national polls
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efforts to measure public opinion within a limited period of time using a national representative sample
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benchmark polls
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initial poll on a candidate and issues on which campaign strategy is based and against which later polls are compared
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tracking polls
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ongoing series of surveys that follow changes in public opinion over time
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exit polls
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election-related questions asked to voters right after they vote
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push polls
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polls that ask for reactions to hypothetical, often false, information in order to manipulate public opinion
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rational ignorance
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the state of being uninformed about politics because of the cost in time and energy
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on-line processing
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the ability to receive and evaluate information as events happen, allowing us to remember our evaluation even if we have forgotten the specific events that caused it
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two-step flow of information
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the process by which citizens take their political cues from more well-informed opinion leaders
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opinion leaders
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people who know more about certain topics than we do and whose advice we trust, seek out, and follow
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pluralist democracy
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a theory of democracy that holds that citizen membership in groups is the key to political power
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party organization
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the official structure that conducts the political business of parties
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electioneering
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the process of getting a person elected to public office
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nominating convention
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formal party gathering to choose candidates
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party-in government
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members of the party who have been elected to serve in government
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governing
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activities directed toward controlling the distribution of political resources by providing executive and legislative leadership, enacting agendas, mobilizing support, and building coalitions
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party-in-the-electorate
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ordinary citizens who identify with the party
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party identification
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voter affiliation with a political party
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party base
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members of a political party who consistently vote for that party's candidates
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responsible party model
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party government when four conditions are met:
--clear choice of ideologies
--candidates pledged to implement ideas
--party held accountable by voters
--party control over members
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party machines
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mass-based party systems in which parties provided services and resources to voters in exchange for votes
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party bosses
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party leaders, usually in an urban district, who exercised tight control over electioneering and patronage
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patronage
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system in which successful party candidates reward supporters with jobs or favors
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party eras
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extended periods or relative political stability in which one party tends to control both the presidency and Congress
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realignment
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substantial and long-term shift in party allegiance by individuals and groups, usually resulting in a change in policy direction
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dealignment
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a trend among voter to identify themselves as independents rather than as members of a majority party
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party platform
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list of policy positions a party endorses and pledges its elected officials to enact
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party activists
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the "party faithful"; the rank-and-file members who actually carry out the party's electioneering efforts
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factions
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groups of citizens united by some common passion or interest and opposed to the rights of other citizens or to the interests of the whole community
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interest groups
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an organization of individuals who share a common political goal and unite for the purpose of influencing government decisions
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lobbying
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interest group activities aimed at persuading policymakers to support the group's positions
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free rider problem
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the difficulty groups face in recruiting when potential members can gain the benefits of the group's actions whether they join or not
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collective good
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a good or service that, by its very nature, cannot be denied to anyone who wants to consume it
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selective incentives
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benefits that are available only to group members as an inducement to get them to join
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material benefits
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selective incentives in the form of tangible rewards
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solidarity benefits
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selective incentives related to the interaction and bonding among group members
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expressive benefits
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selective incentives that derive from the opportunity to express values and beliefs and to be committed to a greater cause
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economic interest groups
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groups that organize to influence government policy for the economic benefit of their members
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equal opportunity interest groups
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groups that organize to promote the civil and economic rights of underrepresented or disadvantaged groups
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public interest group
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groups that organize to influence government to produce collective goods or services that benefit the general public
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direct lobbying
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direct interaction with public officials for the purpose of influencing policy decisions
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indirect lobbying
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attempts to influence government policymakers by encouraging the general public to put pressure on them
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revolving door
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the tendency of public officials, journalists, and lobbyists to move between public and private sector jobs
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political action committees (PACs)
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the fundraising arm of an interest group
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social protest
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public activities designed to bring attention to political causes, usually generated by those without access to conventional means of expressing their views
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astroturf lobbying
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indirect lobbying efforts that manipulate or create public sentiment
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Motor Voter Bill
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legislation allowing citizens to register to vote at the same time they apply for a driver's license or other state benefit
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Voter mobilization
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a party's efforts to inform potential voters about issues and candidates and persuade them to vote
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prospective voting
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basing voting decisions on well-informed opinions and consideration of the future consequences of a given vote
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retrospective voting
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basing voting decisions on reactions to past performance; approving the status quo or signaling a desire for change
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invisible primary
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early attempts to raise money line up campaign consultants, generate media attention, and get commitments for support even before candidates announce they are running
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party caucus
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local gathering of party members to choose convention delegates
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presidential primary
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an election by which voters choose convention delegates committed to voting for a certain candidate
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open primary
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primary election in which eligible voters do not need to be registered party members
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closed primary
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primary election in which only registered party members may vote
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front-loading
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the process of scheduling presidential primaries early in the primary season
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front-runner
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the leading candidate and expected winner of a nomination or an election
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momentum
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the widely held public perception that a candidate is gaining electoral strength
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Electoral College
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an intermediary body that elects the president
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oppo research
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investigation of an opponent's background for the purpose of exploiting weakness of undermining credibility
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valence issues
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issues on which most voters and candidates share the same position
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position issues
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issues on which the parties differ in their perspectives and proposed solutions
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wedge issue
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a controversial issue that one party uses to split the voters in the other party
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issue ownership
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the tendency of one party to be seen as more competent in a specific policy area
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negative advertising
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campaign advertising that emphasizes the negative characteristics of opponents rather then one's own strengths
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government matching funds
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money given by the federal government to qualified presidential candidates in the primary and general election campaigns
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hard money
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campaign funds donated directly to candidates; amounts are limited by federal election laws
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soft money
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unregulated campaign contributions by individuals, groups, or parties that promote general election activities but do not directly support individual candidates
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issue advocacy ads
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advertisements that support issues or candidates without telling constituents how to vote
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electoral mandate
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the perception that an election victory signals broad support for the winner's proposed policies
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POL 106: TEST THREE