Which of the following would be classified as a secondary reference group?
A. Friends
B. Family
C. Labor unions
D. All of the above
Definition
C. Labor unions
Term
"The expression of attitudes about government and politics" is the definition of which of the following?
A)
B)
C)
D)
Definition
B)
Term
Which of the following is the definition of political socialization?
A)
B)
C)
D)
Definition
C)
Term
According to Robert E. Lane, which of the following "incubates" political attitudes and opinions?
A)
B)
C)
D)
Definition
D)
Term
Which of the following qualities measures whether or not a person has an opinion or a deeply felt opinion on a subject? A) Direction B) Intensity C) Stability D) All of the above
Definition
B) Intensity
Term
The mechanism that is used to measure and analyze the qualities of public opinion is __________. A) political socialization B) a political poll C) political participation D) none of the above
Definition
B) a political poll
Term
Which of the following statements is true regarding political polls?
A) Political polls always accurately predict the outcome of an election. B) Political polls measure opinion only at the moment the survey is taken. C) Quota sampling has a lower margin of error than has a random sample. D) All of the above
Definition
B) Political polls measure opinion only at the moment the survey is taken.
Term
Which of the following is correct concerning the political beliefs of Americans?
A) Americans seem to be pragmatic,approaching each issue as it comes up and judging it on its merits. B) Americans have a fixed, coherent set of political beliefs. C) Americans do not have clear preferences on specific issues, but often their convictions are interrelated. D) All of the above.
Definition
A) Americans seem to be pragmatic,approaching each issue as it comes up and judging it on its merits.
Term
In your authors' opinion, which of the following is a correct statement concerning the American voter? A) Voters have begun to evaluate candidates and parties more in terms of their party affiliation than in terms of their issue positions. B) Political participation as measured by voting is low, especially in nonpresidential elections. C) Americans are very well informed about government and many public issues. D) All of the above.
Definition
B) Political participation as measured by voting is low, especially in nonpresidential elections.
Term
Which of the following statements is true about the public knowledge of Americans, according to surveys? A) Only half of those questioned knew that the first 10 amendments to the Constitution are usually called the Bill of Rights. B) Only half of those questioned knew that there were one hundred senators. C) Four in ten Americans did not know who was the vice president of the United States. D) All of the above.
Definition
D) All of the above.
Term
Communication with legislators and other government officials to try to influence their decisions is __________. A) lobbying B) political socialization C) political polling D) none of the above
Definition
A) lobbying
Term
Which of the following, according to your authors, is a correct assessment of pluralism? A) It meets the criteria to qualify as a democratic system according to the classic democratic model. B) It represents individuals in an equal manner. C) It consists of competing groups of elite and therefore falls far short of the classic democratic model. D) It provides a means whereby the powerless, the poor, and the consumer have a way to compete in a society.
Definition
C) It consists of competing groups of elite and therefore falls far short of the classic democratic model.
Term
Which of the following benefit the most from interest groups politics? A) Minorities B) Consumers C) Poorly educated people from the lower economic class D) Business and manufacturing interests
Definition
D) Business and manufacturing interests
Term
Elitist theory argues that __________ A) many conflicting groups within the community have access to government officials and compete with one another in an effort to influence policy decisions B) "the people" govern through political leaders who are nominated as candidates of political parties or who run as independents and are elected by the voters C) powerful people prevent certain issues from ever reaching the public arena as they control the agenda, thus determining which public policy questions will be debated or even considered D) none of the above
Definition
C) powerful people prevent certain issues from ever reaching the public arena as they control the agenda, thus determining which public policy questions will be debated or even considered
Term
What are organizations that are sometimes independent but that more often are the political arms of corporations, labor unions, or interest groups and are established to contribute to candidates or to work for general political goals? A) Political socialization B) Political action committees (PACs) C) Lobbying D) Political parties
Definition
B) Political action committees (PACs)
Term
A private group who attempts to influence the government to respond to the shared attitudes of its members is __________. A) an interest group B) a political party C) an agent of socialization D) an elitist system
Definition
A) an interest group
Term
A citizen writing or telephoning a member of Congress to express their viewpoint on a policy issue is an example of __________. A) lobbying B) grass-roots pressure C) mass publicity D) political socialization
Definition
B) grass-roots pressure
Term
Which of the following branches of government do lobbyists attempt to influence? A) The legislative B) The executive C) The judicial (courts) D) All of the above
Definition
D) All of the above
Term
Which of the following has led to the rise of political action committees (PACs)?
A) The decline in the power of political parties has forced candidates to turn to interest groups for money. B) The publicity given to PACs in recent years has encouraged the formation of even more such committees. C) Changes in the structure of Congress has reduced the power of committee chairs; as a result, power has become fragmented among many subcommittees, each of which is cultivated by various lobbyists. D) All of the above.
Definition
D) All of the above.
Term
Which of the following public interest groups is among the Ralph Nader network? A) Public Citizen B) The Health Research Group C) The Center for Study of Responsive Law D) All of the above
Definition
D) All of the above
Term
Which of the following statements accurately describes interest groups in the United States? A) There are relatively few groups in the Unites States compared to other countries. B) Approximately one-third of the population does not belong to an organized group. C) Nearly half of those who belong to groups belong to groups that have little relation to politics. D) Both B and C.
Definition
D) Both B and C.
Term
Which of the following statements accurately describes the press during the Gulf War? A) The press was confined to pools whose movements and access were restricted. B) The Secretary of State bragged about outwitting the press during the war. C) The treatment of the rpess led to new rules being drawn up that would allow more open and independent reporting in future wars. D) All of the above.
Definition
D) All of the above.
Term
Under the First Amendment protection of freedom of the press, the Court has ruled that __________. A) the government's determination of what constitutes national security will not always outweigh a newspaper's right to publish B) the prohibition against prior restraint of the press does not apply to any case that involves national security interests C) states may exercise prior restraint when there is a compelling state interest D) the government could prohibit the publication of a series based on the secret history of the Vietnam War since it threatened national security
Definition
A) the government's determination of what constitutes national security will not always outweigh a newspaper's right to publish
Term
Which of the following types of programming represents the economic heart of the television industry? A) Entertainment B) News C) Public affairs D) Public policy
Definition
A) Entertainment
Term
Which is true of television in the courtroom? A) It is constitutional B) By 2004, 40 states allowed cameras in trial courts, and all 50 states allow appeals court proceedings to be televised. C) Judges can exercise their discretion to bar television. D) All of the above
Definition
D) All of the above
Term
In a foreign policy crisis, which broadcast network often brings news to Washington faster than the government's secure communications channels? A) ABC B) CBS C) CNN D) NBC
Definition
C) CNN
Term
Which of the following statements about the press is true? A) The public has a low level of confidence in it. B) Several correspondents in Washington have become media "stars" who appear on weekly political talk shows and command huge speaking fees from the very industries and gorups they may cover. C) Some journalists are open to charges of conflict of interest. D) All of the above.
Definition
D) All of the above.
Term
When a government official or employee divulges information to an individual reporter on the condition that the official remain anonymous, this is known as a __________. A) symbol B) backgrounder C) leak D) manipulation
Definition
C) leak
Term
Which of the following presidents held the first live, televised presidential news conference? A) Harry Truman B) Dwight Eisenhower C) John F. Kennedy D) Richard M. Nixon
Definition
C) John F. Kennedy
Term
Which of the following factors has contributed to the shrinking of the newspaper industry since the 1980's? A) The advent of CNN and cable television B) The movement of Americans from the cities to the suburbs after World War II C) Newspapers have become too boring D) Both A and B
Definition
D) Both A and B
Term
Which of the following is an accurate description of the relationship between the press and government? A) They are like heavyweight boxers circling each other warily in the ring. B) They are adversaries who need each other. C) They are mutually dependent D) All of the above.
Definition
D) All of the above.
Term
Which of the following is true about freedom of the press? A) It was included in the original draft of the Constitution. B) It was added as an amendment to the Constitution in the 1900s. C) It is an inherent freedom not explicitly given in the Constitution D) It was passed as part of the Bill of Rights freedoms
Definition
D) It was passed as part of the Bill of Rights freedoms
Term
In the Caldwell case the Supreme Court ruled that __________. A) reporters have the constitutional right to protect their sources B) reporters do not have the constitutional right to protect their sources C) gag rules do not violate the First Amendment's guarantees of freedom of the press D) television cameras may be constitutionally barred from the courtroom
Definition
B) reporters do not have the constitutional right to protect their sources
Term
Which of the following is a true statement? A) Truth has always been an absolute defense in libel cases. B) The Supreme Court has made it almost impossible to libel a public official unless the statement has been made with "actual malice" C) A person who accepts public funding for research does not become a "public figure" and therefore has the same protections against personal attacks as a private person. D) All of the above.
Definition
D) All of the above.
Term
Political parties perform which of the following functions? A) Provide an orderly succession to power B) Mobilize the demands and supports that are fed into the system C) Help hold officials accountable to the voters D) All of the above
Definition
D) All of the above
Term
Regarding the decline of party loyalty, which of the following is a correct statement? A) Political parties have become extinct in the United States. B) More people call themselves independents than call themselves Democrats and Republicans. C) More people call themselves Democrats and Republicans than call themselves independents. D) None of the above.
Definition
C) More people call themselves Democrats and Republicans than call themselves independents.
Term
The fading of party loyalties among many voters has been one of the most visible features of American politics in recent years. Some of the reasons are __________. A) a more educated electorate B) an increase in "split-ticket" voting C) the increased importance of television D) all of the above
Definition
D) all of the above
Term
Which of the following is true about the feelings that George Washington had toward political parties? A) In The Federalist, No. 10, he foresaw that Americans would group together into factions. B) He warned against the baneful effects of the spirit of party. C) He formed the Federalist Party. D) He formed the Democratic-Republican Party
Definition
B) He warned against the baneful effects of the spirit of party.
Term
Which of the following would most likely support a Democratic over a Republican candidate? A) A Catholic who lives in a big city in the North B) An African American who lives in a big city in the North C) A Polish American who lives in a large northern city, belongs to a union, drinks beer, and has a fairly low income D) All of the above
Definition
D) All of the above
Term
Which of the following is true of the 2004 national nominating conventions of both major parties? A) They were carefully controlled. B) They were made-for-television entertainments. C) They were designed by professional TV producers to appeal to prime-time audiences. D) All of the above.
Definition
D) All of the above.
Term
Although national conventions may no longer, as a rule, be an arena for political struggle, they still serve a purpose because __________. A) they choose nominees for president and vice president B) they provide a forum for the voters to see the nominees in action as they deliver their acceptance speeches C) they may unify the party D) all of the above
Definition
D) all of the above
Term
Which of the following best defines the Democratic-Republican Party? A) It was a northern sectional party that was formed to protest the expansion of slavery. B) It was organized by Alexander Hamilton, favored a strong central government, and appealed to the urban, financial interests. C) It was an agrarian protest movement led by William Jennings Bryan that tied itself to the "free silver" movement. D) It was organized by Thomas Jefferson in an alliance with Aaron Burr that favored agrarian interests and appealed to debtors and frontiersmen.
Definition
D) It was organized by Thomas Jefferson in an alliance with Aaron Burr that favored agrarian interests and appealed to debtors and frontiersmen.
Term
Which of the following would most likely vote for a Republican candidate? A) An African American who lives in a large northern city and who is a union member B) A white, Protestant corporate executive who resides in a suburb C) A Roman Catholic who resides in a large northern city and whose income is fairly low D) A Jewish American who lives in a large northern city and who works on an assembly line
Definition
B) A white, Protestant corporate executive who resides in a suburb
Term
Which of the following has contributed to the decline of old-style, big-city political machines? A) Social Security B) General prosperity C) Unemployment benefits D) All of the above
Definition
D) All of the above
Term
According to Gerald M. Pomper __________. A) political parties rarely carry out their campaign promises B) political parties never carry out their campaign promises C) political parties usually carry out their campaign promises D) party platforms are meaningless
Definition
C) political parties usually carry out their campaign promises
Term
A classic study of national convention delegates found that the opinions of Democratic and Republican leaders diverged sharply and that __________. A) they were found to conform to party images B) Republican leaders identified with big business, free enterprise, and economic conservation C) Democrats were friendly toward labor and government regulation of the economy D) all of the above
Definition
D) all of the above
Term
What do the Know-Nothings of the 1850s, the Populists of the 1890s, and the Progressives of the 1920s have in common? A) They were parties that appealed to large corporations. B) They were parties that appealed to labor unions. C) They were parties that resulted from agrarian unrest. D) They were third-party movements.
Definition
D) They were third-party movements.
Term
State parties are bound to the national party by __________. A) law B) strict discipline C) a mutual desire to have a "winner" at the head of the ticket who can provide a "coattail" effect D) ideology
Definition
C) a mutual desire to have a "winner" at the head of the ticket who can provide a "coattail" effect
Term
Which of the following statements correctly describe the philosophies of the Republican or Democratic parties? A) Democrats tend to believe in the ability of government to solve problems. B) Republicans tend to believe in the inclusion of all relevant groups and viewpoints. C) Democrats tend to see themselves as insiders who represent the core of American society and as carriers of fundamental values. D) All of the above.
Definition
A) Democrats tend to believe in the ability of government to solve problems.
Term
The party that was organized by Thomas Jefferson and that made its appeal to agrarian interests, debtors, and frontiersmen was the __________. A) Democratic-Republican Party B) Federalist Party C) Whig Party D) Populist Party
Definition
A) Democratic-Republican Party
Term
Which type of electoral system appears to contribute to the formation of a two-party system in any society? A) Single-member districts where, in order to win, the candidate must receive a plurality of votes B) Single-member districts where, in order to win, the candidate must receive a majority of votes C) A multimember district where, in order to win, the candidate must receive a majority of votes D) A multimember district that uses the proportional representation method of selecting representatives for the legislative branch
Definition
A) Single-member districts where, in order to win, the candidate must receive a plurality of votes
Term
The first Republican to be elected to the presidency was __________. A) Andrew Jackson B) Theodore Roosevelt C) James Fremont D) Abraham Lincoln
Definition
D) Abraham Lincoln
Term
Which of the following depicts the origin of the Federalist Party? A) It was organized by Alexander Hamilton, stood for strong central government, and made its appeal to banking, commercial, and financial interests. B) It was organized by Thomas Jefferson and made its appeal to small farmers, debtors, and southern planters. C) It was organized by Henry Clay and Daniel Webster and appealed to those who detested Andrew Jackson. D) It was a northern sectional party that was formed to protest the expansion of slavery.
Definition
It was organized by Alexander Hamilton, stood for strong central government, and made its appeal to banking, commercial, and financial interests.
Term
Which of the following is true of the national conventions that have met since 1960? A) They have filled more of a selection function than a ratifying function. B) They have filled more of a ratifying function than a selection function. C) They have been a factional victory type. D) They have usually ended by selecting a "dark horse" or compromise candidate.
Definition
B) They have filled more of a ratifying function than a selection function.
Term
Which independent candidate for president made the strongest showing since Theodore Roosevelt ran as the head of the Progressive ("Bull Moose") Party in 1912? A) George Wallace B) Eugene McCarthy C) Ross Perot D) John Anderson
Definition
C) Ross Perot
Term
Why do candidates try to sell themselves and their ideas on television? A) They are required by federal statute to do so. B) It is the surest means of reaching the largest number of people. C) It is the safest means, although it doesn't reach as many people as personal campaigning. D) It is cheaper than traveling throughout the country to personally meet the voters.
Definition
B) It is the surest means of reaching the largest number of people.
Term
A pivotal state is __________. A) a large, populous state with many electoral votes that a candidate must win to be elected B) a state that frequently changes party allegiance C) a state that always supports one party D) a state that always supports the incumbent president
Definition
A) a large, populous state with many electoral votes that a candidate must win to be elected
Term
Electoral votes are allocated to a state __________. A) by the Supreme Court B) based upon the number of representatives the state has in Congress C) based upon the number of representatives the state has in the House of the Representatives D) based upon the voter turnout in that state in the previous election
Definition
B) based upon the number of representatives the state has in Congress
Term
If elections are decided by "ticket-splitters," as DeVries and Tarrance contend, campaigns should be used to __________. A) communicate the candidate's views on issues B) project the candidate's personality C) personally attack the opposing candidate D) preserve the candidate's party base
Definition
A) communicate the candidate's views on issues
Term
Negative campaigning is when candidates engage in __________. A) taking the lofty, nonpartisan approach B) discussing the issues and not personalities C) making personal attacks on their opponents D) attempting to change the minds of the voters
Definition
C) making personal attacks on their opponents
Term
Which of the following are arguments used by those who oppose abolition of the electoral college in favor of the direct popular election of the president? A) It would increase the temptation for fraud in vote counting, leading to prolonged recounts and chaos. B) It would rob minority groups of their influence in big electoral-vote states. C) It would tempt states to ease voter qualification standards in order to fatten the voter rolls. D) All of the above.
Definition
D) All of the above.
Term
The first major party candidates for president to finance their election campaigns with federal funds were __________. A) John Kennedy and Richard Nixon in 1960 B) Hubert Humphrey and Richard Nixon in 1968 C) Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford in 1976 D) George Bush and Bill Clinton in 1992
Definition
C) Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford in 1976
Term
The 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (also known as the McCain Feingold law) __________. A) prohibits state parties from using soft money to benefit its candidates B) prohibits individual contributions to candidates C) was overturned by the Buckley v. Valeo decision D) did not have bipartisan support
Definition
A) prohibits state parties from using soft money to benefit its candidates
Term
Which of the following is correct regarding the selection of electors? A) The Constitution established that they must be selected by popular vote in all states. B) A federal statute established that they must be selected by popular vote in all states. C) The Supreme Court established that they must be selected by popular vote in all states. D) Legally, a state may select them any way that it wishes
Definition
D) Legally, a state may select them any way that it wishes
Term
Patterson and McClure argue that the impact of the nightly network newscasts on political campaigns has been to __________. A) distort and trivialize them B) explain and simplify them so the average voter is able to make an intelligent choice C) concentrate on the issues, thereby serving campaigns in a highly positive manner D) point out when candidates are engaging in negative campaigns and therefore should be ignored
Definition
A) distort and trivialize them
Term
Which of the following is a concern related to the increased use of television and Madison Avenue techniques in political campaigns? A) That only actors would be good political candidates B) That political candidates could be packaged and merchandised like toothpaste C) That only Madison Avenue executives would be good political candidates D) There are no concerns
Definition
B) That political candidates could be packaged and merchandised like toothpaste
Term
One of the results of the increased use of television and Madison Avenue techniques in political campaigns has been __________. A) lowering the cost of campaigns because there is less travel for the candidates B) strengthening party discipline, especially at the state and local levels C) raising the cost of campaigns because this is a very expensive way to campaign D) none of the above
Definition
C) raising the cost of campaigns because this is a very expensive way to campaign
Term
Voters have tended to associate the Republicans with __________. A) social progress at home B) prosperity C) success in foreign policy D) all of the above
