Questions and Answers.
public opinion - Answer citizens' attitudes about political issues, personalities, institutions,
and events
socialization - Answer a process through which individuals assimilate community preferences
and norms through social interactions
liberal - Answer generally supports political and social reform; governmental intervention in
the economy; the expansion of federal social services; more vigorous efforts of behalf of the
poor, minorities, and women; and greater concern for consumers and the environment
conservative - Answer generally supports the social and economic status quo and is
suspicious of efforts to introduce new political formulae and economic arrangements; believe
that a large a powerful government poses a threat to citizens' freedoms
gender gap - Answer a distinctive pattern of voting behavior reflecting the differences in
views between women and men
equal time rule - Answer the requirement that broadcasters provide candidates for the same
political office an equal opportunity to communicate their messages to the public
right of rebuttal - Answer an FCC regulation giving individuals the right to have the
opportunity to respond to personal attacks made on a radio or TV broadcast
fairness doctrine - Answer an FCC requirement that broadcasters who air programs on
controversial issues provide time for opposing views
prior restraint - Answer an effort by a government agency to block the publication of material
it deems libelous or harmful in some other way; censorship. In the United States, the courts
forbid this except under the most extraordinary circumstances
agenda-setting effect - Answer the power to bring attention to particular issues and problems
priming - Answer the process of preparing the public to take a particular view of an event or
a political actor
framing - Answer the power of the media to influence how events and issues are interpreted
, Australian ballot - Answer an electoral format that presents the names of all the candidates
for any given office on the same ballot. This replaced the partisan ballot and introduced split-
ticket voting
single-member district - Answer an electorate that is allowed to elect only one representative
from each district - the typical method of representation in the United States
electoral college - Answer the presidential electors from each state who meet in their
respective state capitals after the popular election to cast ballots for president and vice
president
gerrymandering - Answer the apportionment of voters in districts in such a way as to give
unfair advantage to one political party
plurality rule - Answer a type of electoral system in which victory goes to the individual who
gets the most votes in an election, but not necessarily a majority of the votes cast
majority rule - Answer a type of electoral system in which, to win a seat in a representative
body, a candidate must receive a majority (50 percent plus one) of all the votes cast in the
relevant district
proportional representation - Answer a multiple-member district system that awards seats
based on the percentage of the vote won
referendum - Answer a measure proposed or passed by a legislature that is referred to the
vote of the electorate for approval or rejection
initiative - Answer a process by which citizens may petition to place a policy proposal on the
ballot for public vote
recall - Answer the removal of a public official by popular vote
party identification - Answer an individual's attachment to a particular political party, which
might be based on issues, ideology, past experience, or upbringing
issue voting - Answer an individual's propensity to select candidates or parties based on the
extent to which the individual agrees with one candidate more than others on specific issues