Government Final_Chapter 8 & 10 – Flashcards
Unlock all answers in this set
Unlock answersquestion
An example of public opinion would include the views people have about the
answer
political parties
question
Children first begin to learn about politics and current events from
answer
their family
question
Which form of mass media probably is most influential on public opinion in the US
answer
TV
question
One way historical events of the 1960s and 1970s have affected public opinion is that
answer
many american have less trust in government
question
Why are the media not a good way to measuring public opinions
answer
the media often reflect only the view of a vocal minority
question
The failed literary digest poll of 1936 did not
answer
correctly reflect the universe to be measured
question
What aspects of public opinion are most difficult to measure
answer
intensity stability and relevance of opinions
question
The most widely used source for political news and information are TV and
answer
internet
question
The media influence politics primarily by
answer
telling people what to think about
question
Typically the most in depth coverage of National politics and public affairs is offered by
answer
newspaper
question
Why is the term public opinion so hard to describe or uderstand
answer
because there are many publics with many opinions
question
What is the role schools play in the formation of political opinions in children
answer
schools indoctrinate children to be good citizens
question
People who have an unusually strong influence on the views of other are called
answer
opinion leaders
question
Which of the following will most likely reinforce the opinions a person already has
answer
peer groups
question
How did the prosperity of the 1950s influence public opinions
answer
it made people optimistic
question
Because elections results are often seen as indicators of public opinion, a victorious candidates may claim to have ___ from voters
answer
mandate
question
Polls that seek to read the public's mind simply by asking the same question of a large number of people who are not identified according to any scientific principles are called
answer
straw votes
question
What makes a scientific poll "scientific"
answer
it is constructed using principles designed to produce a sample that accurately reflects the universe
question
The polling process what is the universe
answer
the whole population that the poll aims to measure
question
In the polling precess, what does the pollster do after constructing a sample
answer
prepares valid questions
question
If a polling sample is deliberately constructed to reflect the major characteristics of a given universe it is a
answer
quota sample
question
Pollsters have difficulty measuring all of the following except
answer
attitude
question
One reason why public opinions should not be the final determinant of public policy is that
answer
public opinion does not reflect minority views and interests
question
Why has the internet transformed the way people get political information
answer
the internet allows two way communication of information and opinions
question
What relationship do candidates and their campaigns have with the media
answer
candidates try to manipulate media coverage to their advantage
question
Most news costumers tend to
answer
seek sources that agree with them
question
What is the main difference between television and newspaper coverage of the news
answer
TV mostly skims the news while newspaper go more in depth
question
Different generations often have different views on public affairs because of
answer
historic events
question
The main problem with using interest groups to measure public opinions is that
answer
it is hard to tell how many people are represented by an interest group
question
What is the best way to measure public opinion
answer
conducting scientific polls
question
The first step in the polling process is to
answer
define the universe
question
What do you call a situation in which some voters are influenced by polls out of a desire to support a winner
answer
bandwagon effect
question
By creating a bicameral Congress, the Framers of the Condtitution
answer
settled the conflict between the New Jersey & Virginia Plans
question
Which of the following was an important reason that the Framers favored a bicameral legislature
answer
Both Parliament and the colonial legislatures were bicameral
question
A President may call Congress into special session
answer
to deal with an emergency situation
question
The term of office for senators is
answer
three times as long as for members of the House
question
How many voting members does the House of Representatives have
answer
435
question
A member of the House must be at least
answer
25 years old a citizen of the US for a least 7 years
question
The Framers hoped ___ would help make the Senate a more responsible body than the House
answer
longer terms
question
Until, 1913 senators were chosen by
answer
their States legislature
question
What proportion of senate terms every two years
answer
one-third
question
Who is the average congressman
answer
a white male in his late 50s
question
When members of Congress cast their votes in line with their party's platform and the views of their party's leaders, they are voting as
answer
partisans
question
In their role as servants of their constituents members of Congress
answer
help citizens deal with the federal bureaucracy
question
The most important limit congressional pay raises is the threat of
answer
voter backlash
question
What is the minimum of representatives in Congress (both senators and members of the House) that a State can have?
answer
3
question
Congress must reapportion seats in the house of Representatives every
answer
10 years
question
What determines the total number of seats in the House of Representatives
answer
Congress
question
Due to the length of their terms, House members may be more likely to
answer
listen to constituents' views
question
Why is the Senate called the upper house
answer
Senators must be more qualified than House members
question
What is the total number of full fledged members of Congress
answer
535
question
Most members of Congress
answer
win reelection if they seek it
question
How many terms of Congress are there in a year
answer
one-half
question
If the shape of a congressional district resembles a squiggly piece of spaghetti, what is the most likely explanation
answer
The district was drawn to the advantage of the party in control of the State legislature
question
Since 1842, all seats in the House of Representatives have been filled
answer
from single-member districts
question
The Constitution requires that a member of the House must
answer
be an inhabitant of the State from which he or she is elected
question
In recent elections, which informal qualification has increased most in importance
answer
fundraising ablilty
question
When would a State elect two senators in the same elections
answer
when one of the Senate seats for the State has been vacated by death, resignation or expulsion
question
The Senate is called a continuous body because, unlike the House,
answer
all of its seats are never up for election at the time
question
More than half of the members of the Senate are
answer
lawyers
question
Besides screening bills, what is another major function that members of Congress performs as committee mebers
answer
the oversight functions
question
Rather than raise their own salaries, members of Congress oftern
answer
give themselves more fringe benefits
question
How many congressional voting districts does Iowa have
answer
4
question
How many senators once in the House of Representatives
answer
about half
question
A is a proposed law
answer
bill
question
When Congress changes its pay, the new salary goes into effect
answer
at the start of the next congressional term
question
A state representation in the Senate is based on ___ and representation in the House of Representatives is based on
answer
equal representation; population
