Quiz 8 - Chapter 6 Public Opinion 6

 Question 1 4 out of 4 points Pollsters use random digit dialing to gather national samples for surveys because: Selected Answer: There is no complete list of all Americans that can be used to identify the population Answers: Sampling errors are typically too high when other techniques are used  Sampling errors are typically too low when other techniques are used  There is no complete list of all Americans that can be used to identify the population It is the only method that allows for push polling  Question 2 4 out of 4 points In 1936, pollsters at the Literary Digest were guilty of ______ when they mistakenly predicted a presidential victory for Alf Landon over Franklin Roosevelt by polling people whose names came from the telephone book and automobile registration records. Selected Answer: selection bias Answers: probability sampling  illusion of salience random dialing  selection bias  Question 3 4 out of 4 points If a person does not know anything about a proposed piece of legislation but supports it because Donald Trump endorsed it, we would say the person: Selected Answer: reached their decision through the use of an informational shortcut Answers: was an example of the bandwagon effect  committed a sampling error  reached their decision through the use of an informational shortcut fell prey to the illusion of saliency  Question 4 4 out of 4 points Which of the following statements about the relationship between public opinion and government policy is most accurate? Selected Answer:  Although there is no one-to-one correlation between public opinion and government policy, shifts in public opinion on particular issues frequently lead to changes in government policy. Answers: Shifts in public opinion always lead to changes in government policy. Public opinion always shifts in opposition to government policy once the policy has been implemented. Shifts in public opinion almost never lead to changes in government policy.  Although there is no one-to-one correlation between public opinion and government policy, shifts in public opinion on particular issues frequently lead to changes in government policy.  Question 5 4 out of 4 points During the 2020 Democratic presidential primary elections, candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden received favorable national coverage showing his lead in the South Carolina polls. Despite losses in the previous four states, Biden went on to become the party’s presumptive nominee in weeks. The increased public support for Biden is partly explained by Selected Answer:  the bandwagon effect. Answers: push polling. social desirability bias.  the bandwagon effect. data mining.  Question 6 4 out of 4 points The fact that Americans strongly support the idea that governmental interference in individuals’ lives and property should be kept to a minimum illustrates their commitment to: Selected Answer:  liberty Answers: democracy socialism  liberty anarchy  Question 7 4 out of 4 points What is one of the main differences between those who have gone to college and those who have not? Selected  Answer: There is a higher level of political participation among those with a college education. Answers: Those with a college education are more likely to believe that the United States should not concern itself with other nations’ problems. Those with a college education are less likely to believe that women and men should have equal roles.  There is a higher level of political participation among those with a college education. There is a lower level of political participation among those with a college education.  Question 8 4 out of 4 points Which of the following statements about the forces that shape public opinion is NOT true? Selected Answer:  Presidents rarely attempt to influence public support for the policies they are promoting. Answers:  Presidents rarely attempt to influence public support for the policies they are promoting. Groups with public or private institutional support are more successful in marketing their ideas than groups who do not have such support. All governments try to influence, manipulate, or manage their citizens’ beliefs. The news media are not simply neutral messengers for the ideas developed by others.  Question 9 4 out of 4 points A liberal would most likely support: Selected Answer:  an expansion in governmental social services Answers:  an expansion in governmental social services a reduction in foreign aid for poor countries a ban on abortions an increase in the federal military budget prayer in the public schools  Question 10 4 out of 4 points Imagine a pair of twins identical in every way become separated at birth. One grows up in California the other in Idaho. The California twin is a liberal Democrat, whereas the Idaho twin grew up to become a strong conservative Republican. What might explain the ideological and partisan differences? Selected Answer:  differing agents of socialization. Answers: the bandwaggon effect.  differing agents of socialization. they were not really identical. the gender gap.  Question 11 4 out of 4 points The practice of push polling involves: Selected  Answer: the procedure of asking loaded questions in order to subtly shape the respondent’s opinion Answers: the system of calling people during dinner and evening hours to ensure that as many people as possible will be home  the procedure of asking loaded questions in order to subtly shape the respondent’s opinion polling services like Harris and Gallup attempting to sell their polling data to major news media organizations at higher prices during election seasons the effect of polls having to push politicians into adopting policy proposals they would not otherwise adopt the system of repeatedly calling people in the sampling frame until they respond to the survey  Question 12 4 out of 4 points The difference between a political value and a political attitude is that: Selected  Answer: values are basic principles, while attitudes are specific preferences Answers: values are held for a short time, while attitudes are held for a long time values are conservative, while attitudes are liberal  values are basic principles, while attitudes are specific preferences values are liberal, while attitudes are conservative  Question 13 0 out of 4 points Which of the following terms describe America’s fundamental political values? Selected Answer:  Republican and Democrat Answers: internationalist and isolationist independent and moderate Republican and Democrat  liberty, equality, and democracy  Question 14 4 out of 4 points The tendency for Black Americans to perceive other Black people as members of a group with a common identity and a shared political interest is called Selected Answer:  linked fate Answers:  linked fate intergroup commonality symbolic racism reverse racism  Question 15 4 out of 4 points One recent survey showed that two-thirds of Americans believe the government is spending “too little” money on “assistance for the poor.” Yet, another survey conducted at the same time found that only onetenth of Americans believe that the government is spending “too little” on “welfare.” This example shows that: Selected  Answer: small differences in the wording of a question can lead to very different response patterns Answers:  small differences in the wording of a question can lead to very different response patterns selection bias must always be considered when interpreting the results from a poll polling can never be used to understand public opinion on any issue the findings from some polling agencies should not be trusted  Question 16 4 out of 4 points If a public opinion poll reports finding that a particular candidate is supported by 60% of voters and that there is a 95% chance that support for this candidate is somewhere between 63.1% and 56.9%, the 3.1% variation from 60% is called Selected Answer:  the margin or error. Answers: the standard deviation. the selection bias. the sampling distribution of the mean.  the margin or error.  Question 17 0 out of 4 points Conservatives are more likely than liberals to support: Selected  Answer: government regulation of business Answers: government regulation of business gay rights abortion rights  school prayer  Question 18 4 out of 4 points A political ideology is best defined as: Selected Answer:  a cohesive set of beliefs that form a general philosophy about the government Answers: the basic principles that shape particular attitudes  a cohesive set of beliefs that form a general philosophy about the government the various attitudes that citizens possess toward political issues, events, and people the specific preferences individuals contemplate while discussing an issue  Question 19 4 out of 4 points Which of the following statements about political opinions is NOT true? Selected Answer:  The poor are generally less supportive of economic and social programs than the wealthy. Answers: Whites and blacks have differing views on racism.  The poor are generally less supportive of economic and social programs than the wealthy. Race, income, and education cause important differences in opinion. The poor are generally more supportive of economic and social programs than the wealthy.  Question 20 4 out of 4 points The fact that Democratic Party leaders have become more liberal and Republican Party leaders more conservative is important because: Selected Answer: Answers:  partisans in the public tend to rely on party leaders for cues on the appropriate positions to take on major political issues it has significantly increased the illusion of saliency in polling it has made the gender gap much smaller  partisans in the public tend to rely on party leaders for cues on the appropriate positions to take on major political issues partisans in the public no longer rely on party leaders for cues on the appropriate positions to take on major political issues  Question 21 2 out of 2 points In recent years, response rates for random digit dial surveys have been declining steadily and now average less than 10%. Selected Answer: Tru e Answers: Tru e Fals e  Question 22 2 out of 2 points Political ideologies do not always provide us with a clear opinion on particular policies. Selected Answer: Tru e Answers: Tru e Fals e  Question 23 2 out of 2 points In order for a public opinion poll to accurately generalize to the entire population, the survey must sample at least 25% of the target population. Selected Answer: Answers: Fals e Tru e Fals e  Question 24 2 out of 2 points Most Americans are unified in their belief in the principles of liberty, equality, and democracy. Selected Answer: Tru e Answers: Tru e Fals e  Question 25 2 out of 2 points Families, social groups, and schools are important institutions where people are politically socialized. Selected Answer: Tru e Answers: Tru e Fals e  Question 26 2 out of 2 points President Kennedy promoted his policy agenda to the American people through “fireside chats”. Selected Answer: Answers: Fals e Tru e Fals e  Question 27 2 out of 2 points The United States is a nation without political ideologies. Selected Answer: Fals e Answers: Tru e Fals e  Question 28 2 out of 2 points If public support for same-sex marriage increased significantly after a court decision legalizing marriage between couples of the same sex, it would be an example of policy feedback. Selected Answer: Tru e Answers: Tru e Fals e  Question 29 2 out of 2 points The small group selected by pollsters to represent the entire population is called a sample. Selected Answer: Tru e Answers: Tru e Fals e  Question 30 2 out of 2 points Push polls are scientific surveys designed to assess the public’s support for a policy or candidate by using a probability sample. Selected Answer: Fals e Answers: Tru e Fals e