Question 1

Which of the following is true about mass opinion surveys?

Accepted Answer

A)   They have become more accurate over time because of the increase in Internet polls.
B)   They have become so sophisticated that scientists have been able to eliminate anyMargin of error.
C)   They are a powerful tool for measuring public opinion but should beInterpreted carefully.
D)   They should never be trusted because samples are almost always biased.
E)   They cannot give an accurate picture of public opinion.F) A) and C)
G) B) and D)

Question 2

Which of the following is one of the "Big Five" personality traits that political psychologists believe may affect political socialization?

Accepted Answer

A)   trustworthiness
B)   agreeableness
C)   happiness
D)   socioeconomic status
E)   pathologyF) C) and D)
G) A) and E)

Question 3

Political scientist John Zaller showed that opinion changes generated by an event or some other piece of new information are more likely when:

Accepted Answer

A)   the individual is a senior citizen and has more life experiences upon which to reflect.
B)   the individual follows politics closely and knows that political issues can be complicated.
C)   the individual is more highly educated and is used to considering different possibilities.
D)   the individual is liberal and open-minded about different ideas and explanations.
E)   the individual does not have a set of preexisting principles with which to interpret the event.F) B) and C)
G) A) and D) E

Question 4

In the immediate wake of the Newtown shooting in January 2013, public opinion:

Accepted Answer

A)   shifted in favor of the president.
B)   shifted in favor of Congress.
C)   remained unchanged.
D)   shifted in favor of stricter gun control.
E)   shifted in favor of less gun control.F) B) and C)
G) D) and E)

Question 5

Self-identified Republicans and Democrats judge government spending differently depending on whether a Republican or Democrat made the proposal. This demonstrates that:

Accepted Answer

A)   poll results depend on the wording of the question.
B)   most people form their opinions on the spot using a wide range of considerations.
C)   random samples are hard to obtain.
D)   researchers in the 1950s were correct in saying that there is no public opinion.
E)   party leaders manipulate voters into supporting their ideas.F) C) and D)
G) A) and E)

Question 6

Despite general dissatisfaction with the American health care system, there is no clear alternative that wins large amounts of support in public opinion surveys.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

Why are Internet polls unreliable?

Accepted Answer

A)   There is often a liberal bias in these polls.
B)   The sample is not random.
C)   Computer users frequently hit the wrong key.
D)   Many older Americans struggle to read from a computer screen and are prone to making errors in their responses.
E)   Internet polling firms are new to the business and are more likely to make errors.F) D) and E)
G) A) and B)

Question 8

What is the significance behind the fact that politicians, journalists, and researchers spend a lot of money and time on public opinion polls?

Accepted Answer

A)   No one can accurately measure what Americans think.
B)   Polling matters in the governing of the country.
C)   Random samples are difficult to get.
D)   The Internet has made polling much easier to do.
E)   We are still learning how to conduct polls.F) B) and C)
G) A) and E)

Question 9

Political scientists became critical of public opinion research conducted in the 1950s because:

Accepted Answer

A)   researchers in the 1950s lacked the tools to conduct a nationwide survey.
B)   these early studies relied primarily on focus group research.
C)   these early studies oversampled wealthy respondents because they were the most likely to own a telephone.
D)   these early studies asked questions unrelated to politics.
E)   researchers had an overly narrow view of what public opinion should be.F) C) and E)
G) A) and C)

Question 10

What is one way to get a good sample for a mass survey?

Accepted Answer

A)   volunteered responses
B)   random digit dialing
C)   issue scales
D)   push polls
E)   convenience samplingF) C) and D)
G) A) and B)

Question 11

Explain how latent opinions and "considerations" might affect one's views on gay marriage, immigration, health care, or the economy. Give an example of how considerations might explain recent shifts in public opinion on a major issue such as gay marriage.

Accepted Answer

Latent opinions and "considerations" can...

Question 12

The purpose of a mass survey is to:

Accepted Answer

A)   influence the public to support a particular candidate or policy.
B)   measure the attitudes of a particular population.
C)   instruct elected officials on the rules of Congress.
D)   educate and inform the public about details of public policy.
E)   predict early in the presidential campaign who will win the election and why.F) A) and B)
G) B) and C)

Question 13

The purpose of a focus group is to:

Accepted Answer

A)   gain deep insights into why people hold the opinions they do.
B)   ensure the accuracy of a mass survey.
C)   eliminate sampling error.
D)   provide a less expensive and less labor-intensive way to conduct a mass survey.
E)   gain information about what "focused" people, who care deeply about politics, think about government policies and political candidates.F) C) and E)
G) A) and B)

Question 14

Most Americans' political judgments are based on latent opinions. What does that mean and what are latent opinions based upon? Provide an example of an issue in which most Americans would base their judgment on a latent opinion.

Accepted Answer

Latent opinions refer to attitudes and b...

Question 15

People tend to have similar political views as their parents:

Accepted Answer

A)   because they are raised in a certain political environment.
B)   because they share a genetic makeup with their parents.
C)   both because they share a genetic makeup and because of the environment.
D)   neither because of the environment nor genetic makeup.
E)   there is no research on this area.F) C) and E)
G) A) and B)

Question 16

What is a latent opinion?

Accepted Answer

A)   a running balance of whether someone favors Republicans or Democrats
B)   a description of whether a person is conservative or liberal
C)   a long-held, durable belief
D)   a view formed on the spot, as needed
E)   an attitude about the proper level of government spendingF) A) and C)
G) None of the above

Question 17

The main reason that few people have consistent, stable beliefs is because they are forming opinions on the spot.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  True

Question 18

According to political scientists Donald Green, Bradley Palmquist, and Eric Schickler, how do group identities shape the decision someone makes when choosing between being a Republican and a Democrat?

Accepted Answer

A)   Group identities often influence socioeconomic status, which affects partisanship.
B)   Group identities affect one's self-esteem, which influences partisanship.
C)   Group identities influence a person's trust in government, which affects partisanship.
D)   A person picks the party that has more members from the groups with whom the person identifies.
E)   Green, Palmquist, and Schickler argue that group identities are irrelevant to partisanship.F) A) and B)
G) A) and C)

Question 19

A mass survey that seeks to understand public opinion toward President Obama's health care reform legislation would likely rely on a random sample of:

Accepted Answer

A)   between 100,000 and 500,000 individuals.
B)   between 1 million and 5 million individuals.
C)   between 10,000 and 50,000 individuals.
D)   between fifty and a few hundred individuals.
E)   between a few hundred and several thousand individuals.F) A) and C)
G) A) and E)

Question 20

Public opinion polls taken right after the Newtown shooting incident showed that Americans' views had not shifted much because of the incident.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  False

Exam 6: Public Opinion

Which of the following is true about mass opinion surveys?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following is one of the "Big Five" personality traits that political psychologists believe may affect political socialization?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Political scientist John Zaller showed that opinion changes generated by an event or some other piece of new information are more likely when:

Correct AnswerverifiedE

In the immediate wake of the Newtown shooting in January 2013, public opinion:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Self-identified Republicans and Democrats judge government spending differently depending on whether a Republican or Democrat made the proposal. This demonstrates that:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Despite general dissatisfaction with the American health care system, there is no clear alternative that wins large amounts of support in public opinion surveys.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Why are Internet polls unreliable?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is the significance behind the fact that politicians, journalists, and researchers spend a lot of money and time on public opinion polls?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Political scientists became critical of public opinion research conducted in the 1950s because:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is one way to get a good sample for a mass survey?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Explain how latent opinions and "considerations" might affect one's views on gay marriage, immigration, health care, or the economy. Give an example of how considerations might explain recent shifts in public opinion on a major issue such as gay marriage.

Correct AnswerAnswered by ExamLex AILatent opinions and "considerations" can...View AnswerShow Answer

The purpose of a mass survey is to:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The purpose of a focus group is to:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Most Americans' political judgments are based on latent opinions. What does that mean and what are latent opinions based upon? Provide an example of an issue in which most Americans would base their judgment on a latent opinion.

Correct AnswerAnswered by ExamLex AILatent opinions refer to attitudes and b...View AnswerShow Answer

People tend to have similar political views as their parents:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is a latent opinion?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The main reason that few people have consistent, stable beliefs is because they are forming opinions on the spot.

Correct AnswerverifiedTrue

According to political scientists Donald Green, Bradley Palmquist, and Eric Schickler, how do group identities shape the decision someone makes when choosing between being a Republican and a Democrat?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

A mass survey that seeks to understand public opinion toward President Obama's health care reform legislation would likely rely on a random sample of:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Public opinion polls taken right after the Newtown shooting incident showed that Americans' views had not shifted much because of the incident.

Correct AnswerverifiedFalse

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified
E

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
Answered by ExamLex AI
Latent opinions and "considerations" can...
View Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
Answered by ExamLex AI
Latent opinions refer to attitudes and b...
View Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified
True

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified
False