Question 1

If a national survey finds candidate A leads candidate B by 5 percent in the upcoming election
And the margin of error in the survey is 3 percent,it means that

Accepted Answer

A) candidate A leads candidate B by exactly 5 percentage points. 
B) candidate A leads candidate B by anywhere between 2 and 8 percentage points. 
C) candidate A leads candidate B by exactly 3 percentage points. 
D) candidate A and candidate B are statistically tied. 
A) candidate A leads candidate B by exactly 5 percentage points. 
B) candidate A leads candidate B by anywhere between 2 and 8 percentage points. 
C) candidate A leads candidate B by exactly 3 percentage points. 
D) candidate A and candidate B are statistically tied. B

Question 2

In a democracy,it is assumed that elected representatives should implement the policies favored by the people.Discuss how often public opinion actually influences government policy in the United States and whether there is any evidence that government policy might influence public opinion? Are there instances where public opinion and public policy do not align? In your answer,be sure to discuss evidence from government action and public opinion on specific issues.

Accepted Answer

There are two components to this question.
a.Public opinion's influence on government policy: Studies generally suggest that elected officials pay attention to the preferences of the public.For example,one study explored the relationship between changes in opinion toward various political issues and the policy outcomes that most closely correspond to the issues.The results show that shifts in public opinion on particular issues do in fact tend to lead to changes in public policy.One such example is in health care.A July 2009 Pew survey found that 65 percent of Americans favored a law "requiring all Americans to have health insurance,and government aid for those unable to afford it." The federal government adopted the Affordable Health Care Act in 2010.
b.Government policy's influence on public opinion: The relationship between government policy and opinion may be dynamic,wherein policy responds to opinion but opinion also shifts based on new government policies.Studies of whether government policy can affect public opinion have found it to have an effect in various policy areas,such as the environment,health care,welfare reform,the death penalty,and smoking bans.
c.No alignment: Of course,sometimes public opinion and policy do not align,and officials may act on their own preferences or judgment if they believe it will benefit government or society.The bailout of the banks in 2008,for example,was carried out despite polls showing that a majority of Americans opposed this policy.

Question 3

In recent years,response rates for random digit dial surveys have been

Accepted Answer

A) declining steadily and now average only 67 percent. 
B) declining steadily and now average less than 15 percent. 
C) increasing steadily and now average 75 percent. 
D) increasing steadily and now average 95 percent. 
A) declining steadily and now average only 67 percent. 
B) declining steadily and now average less than 15 percent. 
C) increasing steadily and now average 75 percent. 
D) increasing steadily and now average 95 percent. B

Question 4

Pollsters use random digit dialing to gather national samples for surveys because

Accepted Answer

A) sampling errors are typically too low when other techniques are used. 
B) sampling errors are typically too high when other techniques are used. 
C) there is not a complete list of all Americans that can be used to identify the population. 
D) it is the only method that generates high levels of measurement error. 
A) sampling errors are typically too low when other techniques are used. 
B) sampling errors are typically too high when other techniques are used. 
C) there is not a complete list of all Americans that can be used to identify the population. 
D) it is the only method that generates high levels of measurement error.

Question 5

A frequent cause of measurement error in polls is due to

Accepted Answer

A) unresponsiveness. 
B) poorly worded questions. 
C) push polling. 
D) the increased use of cell phones. 
A) unresponsiveness. 
B) poorly worded questions. 
C) push polling. 
D) the increased use of cell phones.

Question 6

What is one of the main differences between people who have gone to college and people
Who have not?

Accepted Answer

A) Those with a college education are less likely to believe that women and men should have equal roles. 
B) Those with a college education are more likely to believe that abortion should never be allowed. 
C) There is a higher level of political participation among those with a college education. 
D) There is a lower level of political participation among those with a college education. 
A) Those with a college education are less likely to believe that women and men should have equal roles. 
B) Those with a college education are more likely to believe that abortion should never be allowed. 
C) There is a higher level of political participation among those with a college education. 
D) There is a lower level of political participation among those with a college education.

Question 7

A political ideology is best defined as

Accepted Answer

A) the specific preferences individuals contemplate while discussing an issue. 
B) a cohesive set of beliefs that form a general philosophy about the government. 
C) the concrete interests that people try to defend through public policy. 
D) the various attitudes that citizens possess toward political issues,events,and people. 
A) the specific preferences individuals contemplate while discussing an issue. 
B) a cohesive set of beliefs that form a general philosophy about the government. 
C) the concrete interests that people try to defend through public policy. 
D) the various attitudes that citizens possess toward political issues,events,and people.

Question 8

The fact that Democratic Party leaders have become more liberal and Republican Party leaders
Have become more conservative is important because

Accepted Answer

A) Republicans have become less hawkish over time. 
B) Democrats have become more hawkish over time. 
C) partisans in the public tend to rely on party leaders for cues on the appropriate positions to take on major political issues. 
D) partisans in the public no longer rely on party leaders for cues on the appropriate positions to take on major political issues. 
A) Republicans have become less hawkish over time. 
B) Democrats have become more hawkish over time. 
C) partisans in the public tend to rely on party leaders for cues on the appropriate positions to take on major political issues. 
D) partisans in the public no longer rely on party leaders for cues on the appropriate positions to take on major political issues.

Question 9

The percentage of Americans who indicate they trust the government "just about always or
Most of the time" has

Accepted Answer

A) fallen from over 70 percent in 1960 to just 15 percent in 2017. 
B) fallen from 95 percent in 1960 to just 65 percent in 2017. 
C) increased from just 15 percent in 1960 to more than 70 percent in 2017. 
D) remained unchanged since 1960. 
A) fallen from over 70 percent in 1960 to just 15 percent in 2017. 
B) fallen from 95 percent in 1960 to just 65 percent in 2017. 
C) increased from just 15 percent in 1960 to more than 70 percent in 2017. 
D) remained unchanged since 1960.

Question 10

What is the social desirability effect?

Accepted Answer

A) the bias in surveys that comes from the failure of pollsters to interview respondents from lower socioeconomic backgrounds 
B) the strong desire that people have to express their opinions to survey researchers 
C) the fact that respondents report what they think the interviewer wishes to hear or whatever they think is socially acceptable,rather than what they actually believe 
D) the impression conveyed by polls that something is important to the public when actually it is not 
A) the bias in surveys that comes from the failure of pollsters to interview respondents from lower socioeconomic backgrounds 
B) the strong desire that people have to express their opinions to survey researchers 
C) the fact that respondents report what they think the interviewer wishes to hear or whatever they think is socially acceptable,rather than what they actually believe 
D) the impression conveyed by polls that something is important to the public when actually it is not

Question 11

Which U.S.president promoted his policy agenda to the American people through "fireside chats"?

Accepted Answer

A) Warren Harding 
B) Franklin D.Roosevelt 
C) Harry Truman 
D) John F.Kennedy 
A) Warren Harding 
B) Franklin D.Roosevelt 
C) Harry Truman 
D) John F.Kennedy

Question 12

Declining levels of trust in government are important because declining trust has been linked to

Accepted Answer

A) increases in political participation and voting. 
B) declines in political participation and voting. 
C) higher rates of violent crime. 
D) more citizens emigrate from the country. 
A) increases in political participation and voting. 
B) declines in political participation and voting. 
C) higher rates of violent crime. 
D) more citizens emigrate from the country.

Question 13

A(n)________ is a method used by pollsters to select a representative sample in which every
Individual in the population has an equal probability of being selected as a respondent.

Accepted Answer

A) stratified sample 
B) equal opportunity sample 
C) simple random sample 
D) quota sample 
A) stratified sample 
B) equal opportunity sample 
C) simple random sample 
D) quota sample

Question 14

If a person supports a candidate because he or she is the front-runner in a poll,it is an example of the

Accepted Answer

A) bellwether effect. 
B) illusion of saliency. 
C) bandwagon effect. 
D) "bounce" effect. 
A) bellwether effect. 
B) illusion of saliency. 
C) bandwagon effect. 
D) "bounce" effect.

Question 15

If a public opinion survey reports finding that a particular candidate is supported by 60 percent
Of voters and that there is a 95 percent chance that support for this candidate is somewhere
Between 63.1 percent and 56.9 percent,the 3.1 percent variation from 60 percent is called

Accepted Answer

A) the selection bias. 
B) the margin of error. 
C) the standard deviation. 
D) the sampling distribution of the mean. 
A) the selection bias. 
B) the margin of error. 
C) the standard deviation. 
D) the sampling distribution of the mean.

Question 16

Which statement about the distribution of fake news on Facebook in the 2016 election is most accurate?

Accepted Answer

A) The top 10 fake news stories circulated on Facebook were shared more widely than the top 10 authentic news stories about the election. 
B) Although there were many fake news stories circulated on Facebook,they were shared far less frequently than nearly every authentic news story about the election. 
C) Facebook put in place numerous measures to identify and ban fake news stories about the election so the overall number that were actually circulated during the election was very small. 
D) Although there were many fake news stories circulated on Facebook,there was only one fake news election story (focused on Hillary Clinton's emails)that was widely shared on Facebook. 
A) The top 10 fake news stories circulated on Facebook were shared more widely than the top 10 authentic news stories about the election. 
B) Although there were many fake news stories circulated on Facebook,they were shared far less frequently than nearly every authentic news story about the election. 
C) Facebook put in place numerous measures to identify and ban fake news stories about the election so the overall number that were actually circulated during the election was very small. 
D) Although there were many fake news stories circulated on Facebook,there was only one fake news election story (focused on Hillary Clinton's emails)that was widely shared on Facebook.

Question 17

More Americans

Accepted Answer

A) have consistently identified as liberals than as conservatives since the 1990s. 
B) have consistently identified as conservatives than as liberals since the 1990s. 
C) have consistently identified as liberals than as moderates since the 1990s. 
D) identified as conservatives than as liberals between 1992 and 2008,but since 2008,the number of liberals has surpassed the number of conservatives. 
A) have consistently identified as liberals than as conservatives since the 1990s. 
B) have consistently identified as conservatives than as liberals since the 1990s. 
C) have consistently identified as liberals than as moderates since the 1990s. 
D) identified as conservatives than as liberals between 1992 and 2008,but since 2008,the number of liberals has surpassed the number of conservatives.

Question 18

Political leaders may prefer communicating through social media because

Accepted Answer

A) the traditional media almost never educate or persuade members of the public. 
B) federal law limits what they may say to journalists from the mainstream press but not what they may say on social media sites. 
C) they can directly transmit unedited messages to their followers without having the content altered by the mainstream press. 
D) social media are free,whereas the mainstream press often charge monetary fees for broadcasting messages. 
A) the traditional media almost never educate or persuade members of the public. 
B) federal law limits what they may say to journalists from the mainstream press but not what they may say on social media sites. 
C) they can directly transmit unedited messages to their followers without having the content altered by the mainstream press. 
D) social media are free,whereas the mainstream press often charge monetary fees for broadcasting messages.

Question 19

Libertarianism is a political ideology that

Accepted Answer

A) argues that governments are inherently repressive and should be abolished entirely. 
B) argues that a single ruler should have total control over every aspect of people's lives. 
C) argues for the need to place strict limitations on voting rights and civil liberties. 
D) emphasizes freedom and voluntary association with small government. 
A) argues that governments are inherently repressive and should be abolished entirely. 
B) argues that a single ruler should have total control over every aspect of people's lives. 
C) argues for the need to place strict limitations on voting rights and civil liberties. 
D) emphasizes freedom and voluntary association with small government.

Question 20

In classical political theory,a liberal was closest to what we would today refer to as a

Accepted Answer

A) socialist. 
B) libertarian. 
C) communist. 
D) anarchist. 
A) socialist. 
B) libertarian. 
C) communist. 
D) anarchist.

If a national survey finds candidate A leads candidate B by 5 percent in the upcoming election And the margin of error in the survey is 3 percent,it means that

In recent years,response rates for random digit dial surveys have been

Pollsters use random digit dialing to gather national samples for surveys because

A frequent cause of measurement error in polls is due to

What is one of the main differences between people who have gone to college and people Who have not?

A political ideology is best defined as

The fact that Democratic Party leaders have become more liberal and Republican Party leaders Have become more conservative is important because

The percentage of Americans who indicate they trust the government "just about always or Most of the time" has

What is the social desirability effect?

Which U.S.president promoted his policy agenda to the American people through "fireside chats"?

Declining levels of trust in government are important because declining trust has been linked to

A(n)________ is a method used by pollsters to select a representative sample in which every Individual in the population has an equal probability of being selected as a respondent.

If a person supports a candidate because he or she is the front-runner in a poll,it is an example of the

If a public opinion survey reports finding that a particular candidate is supported by 60 percent Of voters and that there is a 95 percent chance that support for this candidate is somewhere Between 63.1 percent and 56.9 percent,the 3.1 percent variation from 60 percent is called

Which statement about the distribution of fake news on Facebook in the 2016 election is most accurate?

More Americans

Political leaders may prefer communicating through social media because

Libertarianism is a political ideology that

In classical political theory,a liberal was closest to what we would today refer to as a

Introduction: The Citizen and Government

The Founding and the Constitution

Federalism

Civil Liberties and Civil Rights

The Media

Political Parties,Participation,and Elections

Interest Groups

Congress

The Presidency

Bureaucracy

The Federal Courts

Domestic Policy

Foreign Policy

Filters

Exam 5: Public Opinion

If a national survey finds candidate A leads candidate B by 5 percent in the upcoming election And the margin of error in the survey is 3 percent,it means that

In recent years,response rates for random digit dial surveys have been

Pollsters use random digit dialing to gather national samples for surveys because

A frequent cause of measurement error in polls is due to

What is one of the main differences between people who have gone to college and people Who have not?

A political ideology is best defined as

The fact that Democratic Party leaders have become more liberal and Republican Party leaders Have become more conservative is important because

The percentage of Americans who indicate they trust the government "just about always or Most of the time" has

What is the social desirability effect?

Which U.S.president promoted his policy agenda to the American people through "fireside chats"?

Declining levels of trust in government are important because declining trust has been linked to

A(n)________ is a method used by pollsters to select a representative sample in which every Individual in the population has an equal probability of being selected as a respondent.

If a person supports a candidate because he or she is the front-runner in a poll,it is an example of the

If a public opinion survey reports finding that a particular candidate is supported by 60 percent Of voters and that there is a 95 percent chance that support for this candidate is somewhere Between 63.1 percent and 56.9 percent,the 3.1 percent variation from 60 percent is called

Which statement about the distribution of fake news on Facebook in the 2016 election is most accurate?

More Americans

Political leaders may prefer communicating through social media because

Libertarianism is a political ideology that

In classical political theory,a liberal was closest to what we would today refer to as a

Introduction: The Citizen and Government

The Founding and the Constitution

Federalism

Civil Liberties and Civil Rights

The Media

Political Parties,Participation,and Elections

Interest Groups

Congress

The Presidency

Bureaucracy

The Federal Courts

Domestic Policy

Foreign Policy

Filters