Question 1

Why is social desirability bias a problem for surveys?

Accepted Answer

A)   It increases sampling error.
B)   The results fail to account for the opinions of the poor.
C)   The answers from respondents are not truthful.
D)   It skews the results in favor of Republican candidates.
E)   It skews the results in favor of Democratic candidates.

Question 2

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

Question 3

Which of the following is an example of cohort effects?

Accepted Answer

A)   that individuals tend to share the same party identification as their parents
B)   that people with high agreeableness are more likely to favor economic policies that help the disadvantaged
C)   that, until the 1970s, relatively few native white southerners identified with the Republican Party
D)   the failure of President Clinton to enact health care reform in 1994
E)   the increasing ideological polarization in Congress

Question 4

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. A

Question 5

What kind of government action suits the policy mood in Obama's second term?

Accepted Answer

A)   more government action
B)   less government action
C)   about the same amount of government action as in recent years
D)   government action at the federal level but not among the states
E)   government action at the state level but not by the national government B

Question 6

Does public opinion influence the output of American government? If so, how? If not, why? Based on your answer to these questions, would you say that the public has too much or too little influence? Please provide examples to support your argument.

Accepted Answer

Public opinion does have an influence on...

Question 7

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 8

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.

Question 9

Early public research came to startling conclusions about public opinion, including:

Accepted Answer

A)   many citizens had surprisingly high levels of factual information.
B)   Americans were overwhelmingly conservative on almost every political issue.
C)   Americans were overwhelmingly liberal on almost every political issue.
D)   many citizens held inconsistent opinions.
E)   older Americans were less informed about politics than most first-time voters.

Question 10

Cohort effects exist because:

Accepted Answer

A)   parents have such a strong influence on an individual's political opinions.
B)   liberals and conservatives have significant political differences.
C)   of an increasingly declining trust in American government and its elected officials.
D)   there are genetic differences that divide those in different cohorts.
E)   individuals learn about politics from the people around them.

Question 11

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. C

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.

Question 13

Imagine that you opened up the newspaper tomorrow and saw a public opinion poll about a major policy issue. What things would you look at to determine the quality of the poll? What would make you find the results more persuasive? What would make you question whether the results were valid?

Accepted Answer

When evaluating the quality of a public ...

Question 14

When we describe where someone falls on the conservative-moderate-liberal spectrum, we are referring to their:

Accepted Answer

A)   party identification.
B)   ideology.
C)   policy mood.
D)   latent opinion.
E)   consideration.

Question 15

When many citizens take on strongly conservative or strongly liberal identities, it is called:

Accepted Answer

A)   opinion formation.
B)   political socialization.
C)   latent opinion formation.
D)   ideological polarization.
E)   political maturity.

Question 16

Why does a low level of trust in government matter?

Accepted Answer

A)   It leads to high voter turnout.
B)   It creates less competitive elections.
C)   It can lead to elected officials pandering to their voters.
D)   It allows experienced politicians to more easily manipulate less experienced politicians.
E)   It makes it harder for elected officials to enact new policies.

Question 17

George describes himself as a moderate. "Moderate" is George's:

Accepted Answer

A)   ideology.
B)   party identification.
C)   policy mood.
D)   latent opinion.
E)   socialization.

Question 18

Some beliefs, such as party identification or ideology, can change quickly in response to external events.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

What does it mean that people often form opinions on the spot?

Accepted Answer

A)   Those opinions have essentially no meaning to the people who profess them.
B)   People rely very heavily on their principles in formulating opinions.
C)   People are sensitive to, and form their opinions based on, what they have recentlySeen or heard.
D)   Their opinions are ill-informed and therefore are not counted in surveys.
E)   We can only really tell what people believe by using sophisticated survey techniques.

Question 20

What does an issue scale ask people?

Accepted Answer

A)   to state how close they are to one of several policy options
B)   how liberal or conservative they feel
C)   why they are Republican or Democrat
D)   what policies are most important to them
E)   to identify their socioeconomic status

Exam 6: Public Opinion

Why is social desirability bias a problem for surveys?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following is an example of cohort effects?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The purpose of a focus group is to:

Correct AnswerverifiedA

What kind of government action suits the policy mood in Obama's second term?

Correct AnswerverifiedB

Does public opinion influence the output of American government? If so, how? If not, why? Based on your answer to these questions, would you say that the public has too much or too little influence? Please provide examples to support your argument.

Correct AnswerAnswered by ExamLex AIPublic opinion does have an influence on...View AnswerShow 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

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

Early public research came to startling conclusions about public opinion, including:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Cohort effects exist because:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following is true about mass opinion surveys?

Correct AnswerverifiedC

The purpose of a mass survey is to:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Imagine that you opened up the newspaper tomorrow and saw a public opinion poll about a major policy issue. What things would you look at to determine the quality of the poll? What would make you find the results more persuasive? What would make you question whether the results were valid?

Correct AnswerAnswered by ExamLex AIWhen evaluating the quality of a public ...View AnswerShow Answer

When we describe where someone falls on the conservative-moderate-liberal spectrum, we are referring to their:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

When many citizens take on strongly conservative or strongly liberal identities, it is called:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Why does a low level of trust in government matter?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

George describes himself as a moderate. "Moderate" is George's:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Some beliefs, such as party identification or ideology, can change quickly in response to external events.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What does it mean that people often form opinions on the spot?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What does an issue scale ask people?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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A

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B

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Answered by ExamLex AI
Public opinion does have an influence on...
View Answer

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Latent opinions refer to attitudes and b...
View Answer

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C

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Answered by ExamLex AI
When evaluating the quality of a public ...
View Answer

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