POL 101 Midterm Exam UPDATED
Questions and CORRECT Answers
Public Good - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔goods provided by government that anyone can
use and that are available to all without charge
Pluralist Theory - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔claims political power rests in the hands of
groups of people
Latent Preferences - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔preferences people are not deeply committed
to and that change over time
Social Capital - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔connections with others and the willingness to
interact and aid them
Priming - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔the process of predisposing readers or viewers to think
a particular way
Soft news - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔Media coverage that aims to entertain or shock, often
through sensationalized reporting or by focusing on a candidate or politician's personality.
Libel - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔written defamation
Incumbency Advantage - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔the advantage held by officeholders that
allows them to often win reelection
Closed Primary - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔A primary in which only registered members of
a particular political party can vote
Electoral College - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔the constitutionally created group of
individuals, chosen by the states, with the responsibility of formally selecting the next U.S.
president
, Pocketbook Voting - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔voting for the political candidate or party
that benefits the voter the most financially.
Voting Rights Act - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔law that banned literacy tests and empowered
the federal government to oversee voter registration
Toll Good - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔a good that is available to many people but is used
only by those who can pay the price to do so
Civic Engagement - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔actions designed to identify and address
issues of public concern
Ideology - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔the beliefs and ideals that help to shape political
opinion and eventually policy
Agenda Setting - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔the media's ability to choose which issues or
topics get attention
Prior Restraint - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔a government action that stops someone from
doing something before they are able to do it
Hypodermic Theory - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔the idea that information is placed in a
citizen's brain and accepted
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔1966 law that allows
citizens to obtain copies of most public records
Politcal Action Committee (PAC) - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔a private group that raises and
distributes funds for use in election campaigns
Referendum - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔a yes or no vote by citizens on a law or candidate
proposed by the state government
Questions and CORRECT Answers
Public Good - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔goods provided by government that anyone can
use and that are available to all without charge
Pluralist Theory - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔claims political power rests in the hands of
groups of people
Latent Preferences - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔preferences people are not deeply committed
to and that change over time
Social Capital - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔connections with others and the willingness to
interact and aid them
Priming - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔the process of predisposing readers or viewers to think
a particular way
Soft news - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔Media coverage that aims to entertain or shock, often
through sensationalized reporting or by focusing on a candidate or politician's personality.
Libel - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔written defamation
Incumbency Advantage - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔the advantage held by officeholders that
allows them to often win reelection
Closed Primary - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔A primary in which only registered members of
a particular political party can vote
Electoral College - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔the constitutionally created group of
individuals, chosen by the states, with the responsibility of formally selecting the next U.S.
president
, Pocketbook Voting - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔voting for the political candidate or party
that benefits the voter the most financially.
Voting Rights Act - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔law that banned literacy tests and empowered
the federal government to oversee voter registration
Toll Good - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔a good that is available to many people but is used
only by those who can pay the price to do so
Civic Engagement - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔actions designed to identify and address
issues of public concern
Ideology - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔the beliefs and ideals that help to shape political
opinion and eventually policy
Agenda Setting - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔the media's ability to choose which issues or
topics get attention
Prior Restraint - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔a government action that stops someone from
doing something before they are able to do it
Hypodermic Theory - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔the idea that information is placed in a
citizen's brain and accepted
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔1966 law that allows
citizens to obtain copies of most public records
Politcal Action Committee (PAC) - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔a private group that raises and
distributes funds for use in election campaigns
Referendum - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔a yes or no vote by citizens on a law or candidate
proposed by the state government
