POSC 100 CHAPTER 6 EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS ALL CORRECT
Which of the following statements is correct?
It is possible to estimate the country's opinion based on a rather small sample of people.
Public-opinion surveys only tell you what the sample's opinions are, without inferences
for the general population.
For a public-opinion survey to be accurate, it only needs to have more than 200
respondents.
It is nearly impossible to collect a simple random sample - Answer- It is possible to
estimate the country's opinion based on a rather small sample of people.
(With a sufficiently random sample of about 1,000 people, surveys can provide very
accurate estimates of public opinion.)
Incorrect:
Public-opinion surveys only tell you what the sample's opinions are, without inferences
for the general population.
(Pollsters are generally able to make extrapolations about the general population from a
relatively small sample.)
For a public-opinion survey to be accurate, it only needs to have more than 200
respondents.
(A sample size of about 1000 respondents is one of many components that are
important for survey accuracy.)
It is nearly impossible to collect a simple random sample.
(Random digit dialing usually results in a random national sample.)
The government can easily and substantially influence public opinion. - Answer- False
(The government's claims are often disputed by the media, interest groups, and
opposing forces within the government itself, making large shifts in public opinion
difficult.)
, In the "receive-accept-sample" model of public opinion, what happens when you hear a
media report that goes against your beliefs about tax cuts? - Answer- You receive the
message, but do not accept it.
(While we receive all messages, we only accept ones that are consonant with our
previously held beliefs.)
Incorrect:
You accept the message and sample from it when asked your opinion on tax cuts.
(Because the report went against previously held beliefs, it was not accepted and thus
cannot be sampled.)
You do not receive the message and thus cannot accept it.
(Receiving messages is automatic. Anytime we hear something, we have "received" it in
this framework.)
You accept the message, but do not sample from it when asked for your opinion on tax
cuts.
(Because the report went against previously held beliefs, it was not accepted and thus
cannot be sampled.
The "receive-accept-sample" model of public opinion is important because it
demonstrates that public opinion is a combination of reinforcing our previous beliefs and
echoing the message shared by the media.)
Which of the following is correct regarding the effect of the marketplace of ideas on
opinion formation? - Answer- Competing forces try to persuade as many people as
possible, and few people resist modification of their beliefs
(The constant exposure to various forces trying to get their definition of an issue
adopted influences nearly everyone.)
In the context of understanding public opinion, which of the following is the best
definition of values? - Answer- basic principles that shape a person's opinions about
issues and events
Political values like liberty, equality of opportunity, and democracy are widely held by
Americans.
Liberty - Answer- Gov't interference in ind lives should be kept to a minimum
The United States was founded on the principle of individual liberty.
Democracy - Answer- Every citizen should have the opportunity to take part in the
government process.
Most Americans believe they should have some say in government.
AND ANSWERS ALL CORRECT
Which of the following statements is correct?
It is possible to estimate the country's opinion based on a rather small sample of people.
Public-opinion surveys only tell you what the sample's opinions are, without inferences
for the general population.
For a public-opinion survey to be accurate, it only needs to have more than 200
respondents.
It is nearly impossible to collect a simple random sample - Answer- It is possible to
estimate the country's opinion based on a rather small sample of people.
(With a sufficiently random sample of about 1,000 people, surveys can provide very
accurate estimates of public opinion.)
Incorrect:
Public-opinion surveys only tell you what the sample's opinions are, without inferences
for the general population.
(Pollsters are generally able to make extrapolations about the general population from a
relatively small sample.)
For a public-opinion survey to be accurate, it only needs to have more than 200
respondents.
(A sample size of about 1000 respondents is one of many components that are
important for survey accuracy.)
It is nearly impossible to collect a simple random sample.
(Random digit dialing usually results in a random national sample.)
The government can easily and substantially influence public opinion. - Answer- False
(The government's claims are often disputed by the media, interest groups, and
opposing forces within the government itself, making large shifts in public opinion
difficult.)
, In the "receive-accept-sample" model of public opinion, what happens when you hear a
media report that goes against your beliefs about tax cuts? - Answer- You receive the
message, but do not accept it.
(While we receive all messages, we only accept ones that are consonant with our
previously held beliefs.)
Incorrect:
You accept the message and sample from it when asked your opinion on tax cuts.
(Because the report went against previously held beliefs, it was not accepted and thus
cannot be sampled.)
You do not receive the message and thus cannot accept it.
(Receiving messages is automatic. Anytime we hear something, we have "received" it in
this framework.)
You accept the message, but do not sample from it when asked for your opinion on tax
cuts.
(Because the report went against previously held beliefs, it was not accepted and thus
cannot be sampled.
The "receive-accept-sample" model of public opinion is important because it
demonstrates that public opinion is a combination of reinforcing our previous beliefs and
echoing the message shared by the media.)
Which of the following is correct regarding the effect of the marketplace of ideas on
opinion formation? - Answer- Competing forces try to persuade as many people as
possible, and few people resist modification of their beliefs
(The constant exposure to various forces trying to get their definition of an issue
adopted influences nearly everyone.)
In the context of understanding public opinion, which of the following is the best
definition of values? - Answer- basic principles that shape a person's opinions about
issues and events
Political values like liberty, equality of opportunity, and democracy are widely held by
Americans.
Liberty - Answer- Gov't interference in ind lives should be kept to a minimum
The United States was founded on the principle of individual liberty.
Democracy - Answer- Every citizen should have the opportunity to take part in the
government process.
Most Americans believe they should have some say in government.
