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PoliSci Exam 2
N/A
172
Political Studies
Undergraduate 3
03/19/2011

Additional Political Studies Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
Online Processing
Definition
Term
Policy Mood
Definition
The level of public support for expanding the government's role in society; whether the public wants government action on specific issues
Term
Political Socialization
Definition
The process by which an individual's political opinions are shaped by other people and the surrounding culture
Term
Population
Definition
The group of people that a researcher or pollster wants to study, such as evangelicals, senior citizens, or Americans
Term
Public Opinion
Definition
Citizen's views on politics and government actions
Term
Random Digit Dialing
Definition
Term
Random Sample
Definition
A subsection of a population chosen to participate in a survey through a selection process in which every member of the population has an equal chance of being chosen. This kind of sampling improves the accuracy of public opinion data
Term
Robo-Poll
Definition
Term
Sample
Definition
Within a population, the group of people surveyed in order to gauge the whole population's opinion. Researchers use samples because it would be impossible to interview the entire population
Term
Sampling Error
Definition
A calculation that describes what percentage of the people surveyed may not accurately represent the population being studied, increasing the number of respondents lowers the sampling error
Term
Considerations
Definition
The many pieces of information a person uses to form an opinion
Term
Issue Scale
Definition
A survey response format in which responders select their answers from a range of positions between two extremes
Term
Ideological Polarization
Definition
The effect on public opinion when many citizens move away from moderate positions and toward either end of the political spectrum, identifying themselves as either liberal or conservative.
Term
Latent Opinion
Definition
An opinion formed on the spot, when it is needed (as distinct from a deeply held opinions that is stable over time)
Term
Level on Conceptualization
Definition
The amount of complexity in an individual's beliefs about government and policy, and the extent to which those beliefs are consistent with each other and remain consistent over time
Term
Liberal-Conservative Ideology
Definition
A way of describing political beliefs in terms of a position on the spectrum running from liberal to moderate to conservative
Term
Mass Survey
Definition
A way to measure public opinion by interviewing a large sample of the population
Term
Framing
Definition
The influence on public opinion caused by the way a story is presented or covered, including details, explanations, and context offered
Term
Hard News
Definition
Media coverage focused on facts and important news surrounding a campaign
Term
Horse Race
Definition
A description of the type of election coverage that focuses more on poll results and speculation about a likely winner than on substantive differences between the candidates.
Term
Hostile Media Phenomenon
Definition
The idea that supporters of a candidate or issue tend to feel that media coverage is biased against their position, regardless of whether coverage is actually unfair.
Term
Investigative Journalism
Definition
Reporters who dig deeply into a particular topic of public concern, often targeting government failures or inefficiencies
Term
Leaks
Definition
The release of either classified or politically embarrassing information by a government employee to a member ofthe press
Term
Mainstream Media
Definition
Media sources that predate the internet, such as newspapers, magazines, TV, and radio
Term
Mass Media
Definition
Sources that provide information to the average citizen, such as newspapers, television, radio stations, and websites
Term
Media Conglomerates
Definition
Companies that control a large number of media sources across several types of media outlets
Term
Media Effects
Definition
The influence of media coverage on average citizens' opinions and actions
Term
News Cycle
Definition
The time between the release of information and its publication, like the twenty-four hours between issues of a daily newspaper
Term
Normalization Hypothesis
Definition
Term
Off the Record
Definition
Comments a politician makes to thpress on the condition that they can be reported only if they are not attributed to that politician (aka on background)
Term
Attack Journalism
Definition
A type of increasingly popular media coverage focused on political scandals and controversies, which causes a negative public opinion of political figures
Term
Broadcast Media
Definition
communications technologies, such as TV and radio that transmit over airways
Term
By-product Theory of Information Transmission
Definition
The idea that many Americans acquire political information unintentionally rather than by seeking it out
Term
Concentration
Definition
The trend towards single-company ownership of several media sources in an area
Term
Cost Ownership
Definition
The trend toward single-company ownership of several kinds of media outlets
Term
Equal Time Provision
Definition
An FCC regulation requiring broadcast media to provide equal airtime on any non-news program to all candidates running for an office
Term
Fairness Doctrine
Definition
An FCC regulation requiring broadcast media to present several points off view to ensure a more balanced coverage. Created in 1940s, eliminated in 1987
Term
FCC (Federal Communications Commission)
Definition
Government agency created in 1934 to regulate American radio stations and later expanded to regulate television, wireless communications technologies, and other broadcast media
Term
Filtering
Definition
The influence on public opinion that results from journalists' and editors' decisions about which of many potential news stories to report
Term
On Background
Definition
Comments a politician makes to the press on the condition that they can be reported only if they are not attributed to said politician (also known as "off the record")
Term
Op-Ed
Definition
Term
Penny Press
Definition
Newspapers sold for a penny in the 1830s, when more efficient printing presses made reduced-price newspapers available to larger segments of the population
Term
Press Conference
Definition
An event at which a politician speaks to journalists and, in most cases, answers questions afterwords.
Term
Prime Time
Definition
evening hours when TV viewership is at its highest and networks often schedule news programs
Term
Priming
Definition
The influence on the public's general impressions caused by positive or negative coverage of a candidate or issue
Term
Shield Laws
Definition
Legislation, which exists in some states but not at the federal level that gives reporters the right to refuse to name the sources of their information
Term
Slant
Definition
an imbalance in a story that covers one candidate or policy favorably without providing similar coverage of the other side
Term
Soft News
Definition
Media coverage that aims to entertain or shock, often through sensationalized reporting or by focusing on a candidate or politician's personality
Term
Wire Service
Definition
An organization that gathers news and sells it to other media outlets. THe invention of the telegraph in the early 1800s made this service possible
Term
Yellow Journalism
Definition
A style of newspaper popular in the late 1800s that featured sensationalized stories, bold headlines, and illustrations to increase readership
Term
Duverger's Law
Definition
The principle that in a democracy with single-member districts and plurality voting, like the US, only two parties candidates will have a realistic chance of winning political office
Term
527 Organizations
Definition
a tax-exempt group focused primarily to influence elections through voter mobilization efforts and issue ads that do not directly endorse or oppose a candidate. Unlike PACS, 52's are not subject to contribution limits and spending caps
Term
National Committees
Definition
An American political party's principal organization, comprised of party representatives from each state
Term
New Deal Coalition
Definition
The assemblage of groups who aligned with and supported the Democrat Party in support of New Deal policies during the fifth party system, including blacks, Catholics, Jews, unions, and white southerners
Term
Nodes
Definition
groups of people who belong to, candidates of, or work for a political party, but do not necessarily work together or hold similar policy preferences
Term
Nominating Convention
Definition
A meeting held by each party every four years at which states' delegates select the party's presidential and vice-presidential nominees and approve the party platform
Term
Parties-in-Service
Definition
The role of the parties in recruiting, training, fund raising, and campaigning for congressional and presidential candidates. This aspect of party organization grew more prominent during the sixth party system
Term
Party Coalitions
Definition
The group that identify with a political party, usually described in demographic terms such as black Democrats or evangelical Republicans
Term
Party ID
Definition
A citizen's loyalty to a specific political party
Term
Party-in-Government
Definition
The group of officeholders who belong to a specific political party and were elected as candidates of that party
Term
Party-in-Power
Definition
Under unified government, the party that controls the House, Senate, and the Presidency. Under divided government, the President's party
Term
Party-in-the-Electorate
Definition
The group of citizens who identity with a specific political party
Term
Party Organization
Definition
A specific political party's leaders and workers at all levels
Term
Party Platform
Definition
A set of objectives outlining the party's issue positions and priorities. Candidates are not required to support their party's platforms
Term
Party Principle
Definition
The idea that a political party exists as an organization distinct from its elected officials or party leaders
Term
Party System
Definition
A period in which the names of the major political parties, their supporters, and the issues dividing them remain relatively stable
Term
Plurality Voting
Definition
A voting system in which the candidate who receives the most votes within a geographic area wins the election, regardless of whether that candidate wins a majority (more than half) of the votes
Term
Polarized
Definition
The alignment of both parties' members with their own party's issues and priorities, with little crossover support for the other party's goals
Term
Political Action Committee (PAC)
Definition
An interest group or a division of an interest group that can raise money to contribute to campaigns or to spend on ads in support of a candidate. The amount a PAC can receive from each of its donors and the amount it can spend on federal campaigning are strictly limited
Term
Political machine
Definition
An unofficial patronage system within a political party that seeks to gain political power and government contracts, jobs, and other benefits for party leaders, workers, and supporters
Term
Primary
Definition
A ballot vote in which citizens select a party's nominee for general election
Term
Realignment
Definition
A change in the size of composition of the party coalitions or in the nature of the issues that divide the parties. Realignments typically occur within an election cycle or two, but they can also occur gradually over the course of a decade or longer
Term
Responsible Party
Definition
A system in which each political party's cnadidates campaign on the party platform, work together in office to implement the platform, and are judged by voters based on whether they achieved the platform's objectives
Term
Running Tally
Definition
A frequently updated mental record that a person uses to incorporate new information, like the information that leads a citizen to identify with a particular political party
Term
Single-Member Districts
Definition
An electoral system in which every elected official represents a geographically defined area, such as a state or congressional district, and each area elects one representative
Term
Spoils System
Definition
The practice of rewarding party supporters with benefits like federal government positions
Term
Unified Government
Definition
A situation in which one party holds a majority of seats in the House and Senate and the President is a member of the same party
Term
Activists
Definition
People who dedicate their time, effort, and money to supporting a political party or particular candidate
Term
Backbenchers
Definition
Legislatures who do not hold leadership positions within their party caucus or conference
Term
Brand Names
Definition
The use of party names to evoke certain positions or issues. For example, "Adidas" might immediately call to mind athletics in the same way that Democrats might remind you of environmental policies or health care
Term
Congressional Caucus
Definition
Term
Political Caucus
Definition
Term
Conditional Party Government
Definition
The theory that lawmakers from the same party will cooperate to develop policy proposals
Term
Conference
Definition
The organization of Republicans wihtin the House and Senate that meets tuss and debate the party's positions on various issues in order to reach a consensus and to assign leadership positions
Term
Cross-Cutting
Definition
Issues that raise disagreements within a party coalition or between political parties about what government should do
Term
Dealignment
Definition
A decline in the percentage of citizens who identify with one of the major parties, usually over the course of a decade or longer
Term
Divided Government
Definition
A situation in which the House, Senate, and Presidency are not controlled by the same party
Term
GOTV
Definition
"Get Out the Vote", to ensure their supporters vote on election day (also known as "ground game")
Term
Ground Game
Definition
See GOTV
Term
Hard Money
Definition
Donations that are used to help elect or defeat a specific candidate
Term
Incumbent
Definition
A politician running for reelection to the office he or she currently holds
Term
Issue Voters
Definition
People who are well informed about their own policy preferences and knowledgeable about the candidates, and who use all of this information when they decide how to vote
Term
Majority Voting
Definition
A voting system in which a candidate must win more than 50% of votes to win the election. If no candidate wins enough votes to take office, a runoff election is held between the top two vote-getters
Term
Mobilization
Definition
Motivating supporters to vote in an election and, in some cases, helping them get to the polls on Election Day
Term
Money Primary
Definition
Term
National Elections
Definition
Term
Nominations
Definition
The selection of a particular candidate to run for office in a general election as a representative of his or her political party
Term
Normal Elections
Definition
A typical congressional election in which the reelection rate is high, and the influences on House and Senate contests are largely local
Term
Open Primary
Definition
A primary election in which any registered voter can participate in the contest, regardless of affiliation
Term
Open Seat
Definition
An elected position for which there is no incumbent
Term
Opposition Research
Definition
Attempts by a candidate's campaign or other groups of supporters to uncover embarrassing or politically damaging information about the candidate's opponent
Term
Paradox of Voting
Definition
The question of why citizens vote even though their individual votes stand little chance of changing the election outcome
Term
Party Ratio
Definition
The proportions of seats in the House and Senate that are controlled by each major party
Term
Permanent Campaign
Definition
The actions officeholders take throughout the election cycle to build support for their reelection
Term
Phone Banks
Definition
Term
Plurality Voting
Definition
A voting system in which the candidate who receives the most votes within a geographic area wins the election, regardless of whether that candidate wins a majority
Term
Political Business Cycle
Definition
Attempts by elected officials to manipulate the economy before elections by increasing economic growth and reducing unemployment and inflation, with the goal of improving evaluations of their performance in office
Term
Popular Vote
Definition
The votes cast by citizens in an election
Term
Primary
Definition
A ballot vote in which citizens select a party's nominee for the general election
Term
Proportional Allocation
Definition
During the presidential primaries, the practice of determining the number of convention delegates alloted to each candidate based on the percentage of the popular vote cast for each candidate. All Democrat primaries and caucuses use this system, as do some states' Republican primaries and caucuses
Term
Push Polling
Definition
A type of survey in which the questions are presented in a biased way in an attempt to influence the respondent
Term
Reasonable Vote
Definition
A vote likely to be consistent with the voter's true preference for one candidate over the others
Term
Regional Primaries
Definition
A practice whereby several states in the same area of the country hold presidential primaries or caucuses on the same day
Term
Retail Politics
Definition
A mode of campaigning in which a candidate or campaign staff contacts citizens directly, as would happen at a rally, a talk before a small group, or a one-on-one meeting between a candidate and a citizen
Term
Retrospective Evaluations
Definition
A citizen's judgment of an officeholder's job performance since the last election
Term
Runoff Elections
Definition
Under a majority voting system, a second election held only if no candidate wins majority of the votes in the first general election. only the top two vote-getters in the first election compete in the runoff
Term
Seat Shift
Definition
A change in the number of seats held by Republicans and Democrats in the House or Senate
Term
Soft Money
Definition
Contributions that can be used for voter mobilization or to promote a policy proposal or point of view, as long as these efforts are not tied to supporting or opposing a specific candidate
Term
Split Ticket
Definition
A ballot on which a voter selects candidates from more than one political party
Term
Straight Ticket
Definition
A ballot on which a voter selects candidates from only one political party
Term
Superdelegates
Definition
Democratic members of Congress and party officials selected by their colleagues to be delegates at the party's Presidential nominating convention (Republicans do not have superdelegates). Unlike delegates selected in primaries or caucuses, superdelegates are not committed to a particular candidate and can exercise their judgment when deciding how to vote at a convention
Term
Swing State
Definition
In a presidential race, highly competitive states in which both major party candidates stand a good chance of winning the state's electoral votes
Term
Talent Primary
Definition
Term
Turnout
Definition
The percentage of voting-aged population who cast a ballot in a given election
Term
Undervote
Definition
Casting a ballot that is either incomplete or cannot be counted
Term
Voting Cues
Definition
Pieces of information about a candidate that are readily available, easy to interpret, and lead a citizen to decide to vote for a particular candidate
Term
Wholesale Politics
Definition
A mode of campaigning that involves indirect contact with citizens, such as running campaign ads
Term
Winner-Take-All
Definition
During the Presidential primaries, the practice of assigning all of a given state's delegates to the candidate who receives the most popular votes. Some states' Republican primaries and caucuses use this system
Term
Absentee ballots
Definition
A voting ballot submitted by mail before an election. Voters use absentee ballots if they will be unable to go to the polls on Election day
Term
Attack Ads
Definition
Campaign advertising that criticizes a candidate's opponent, typically by making potentially damaging claims about the opponents background or record, rather than focusing on positive reasons to vote for the candidate
Term
Campaign Platform
Definition
A candidate's description of his or her issue positions and the kinds of policies he or she will seek to enact while in office
Term
Caucus (Political)
Definition
Term
Challenger
Definition
Term
Closed Primary
Definition
A primary election in which only registered members of a particular political party can vote
Term
Coattails
Definition
The idea that a popular president can generate additional support for candidates affiliated with his party. Coattails are weak or nonexistant in most American elections
Term
Delegates
Definition
Individuals who attend their party's national convention and vote to select their party's nominee for presidency. Delegates are elected in a series of primaries and caucuses that occur during winter and spring of an election year
Term
Election Cycle
Definition
The two-year period between general elections
Term
Electoral College
Definition
The body that votes to select America's president and vice president based on the popular vote of each state. Each candidate nominates a state of electors who are selected to attend the meeting of the college if their candidate wins the most votes in a state or district
Term
Electoral Vote
Definition
Votes by members of the electoral college; after a presidentail candidate wins the popular vote in a given state, that candidate's slate of electors cast electoral votes for the candidate on behalf of that state
Term
Federal Elections Commission
Definition
The government agnecy that enforces and regulates election laws; made up of six presidential appointees of whom no more than three can be members of the same party
Term
Freeloading
Definition
Term
General Elections
Definition
The election in which voters cast ballots for House members, senators, and President and Vice President
Term
Outside Strategies
Definition
The tactics employed outside DC by interest groups seeking to achieve their policy goals
Term
Peak Associations
Definition
Interest groups whose members are businesses or other organizations rather than individuals
Term
Purposive Benefits
Definition
Satisfaction derived from the experience working toward a desired policy goal, even if the goal is not achieved
Term
Referendum
Definition
A direct vote by citizens on a policy change proposed by a legislature or another government body. Referenda are common in state and local elections, but there is no mechanism for a national-level referendum
Term
Revolving Door
Definition
The movement of individuals from government positions to jobs with interest groups or lobbyist groups, or vice versa
Term
Salience
Definition
The level of familiarity with an interest group's goals among the general population
Term
Selective Incentives
Definition
Benefits that can motivate participation in a group effort because they are available only to chose who participate, such as member services offered by interest groups
Term
Single-Issue Groups
Definition
A type of interest groups that has a narrowly focused goal, seeking change on a single topic, government program, or piece of legislation
Term
Solidary Benefits
Definition
satisfaction derived from the expense of working with like-minded people, even if the group's efforts do not achieve the desired impact
Term
Taking the Late Train
Definition
An interest group strategy that involves donating money to the winning candidate after an election in hopes of securing a meeting with the person when he or she enters office
Term
Trade Association
Definition
An interest group composed of companies in the same business or industry (the same "trade") that lobbies for policies that benefits members of the group
Term
Astroturf Lobbying
Definition
Any lobbying method initiated by interest groups that is designed to look spontaneous, independent participation of many individuals
Term
Centralized Groups
Definition
Interest groups that have a headquarters, usually in DC, as well as members and field offices throughout the country. IN general, these groups' lobbying decisions are made at headquarters by the leaders
Term
Citizen Groups
Definition
Term
Coercion
Definition
A method of eliminating nonparticipation or free riding by potential group members by requesting participation, as in many labor unions
Term
Confederations
Definition
Interest groups made up of several independent, local organizations that provide much of their funding and hold most of the power
Term
Direct Lobbying
Definition
Attempts by interest group staff to influence policy by speaking with elected officials or bureaucrats
Term
Economic Groups
Definition
A type of interest group that seeks public policies that provide monetary benefits to its members
Term
501c Organizations
Definition
A tax code classification that applies to most interest groups; this designation makes donations to the group tax-deductible but limits the groups' political activities
Term
527 Organizations
Definition
A tax-exempt group formed primarily to influence elections through voter mobilization efforts and issue ads that do not directly endorse or oppose a candidate.
Term
Free Riding
Definition
The practice of relying on others to contribute to a collective effort while failing to participate on one's own behalf, yet still benefiting from the group's successes
Term
Grassroots Lobbying
Definition
A lobbying strategy that relies on participation by group members such as a protest or letter-writing campaign
Term
Initiative
Definition
A direct vote by citizens on a policy change proposed by fellow citizens or organized groups outside government. Getting a question on the ballot typically requires collecting a set number of signatures from registered voters in support of the proposal. There is no mechanism for a national-level initiative
Term
Inside Strategies
Definition
The tactics employed within DC by interest groups seeking to achieve their policy goals
Term
Interest Group Entrepereneurs
Definition
Term
Interest Group State
Definition
A government in which most policy decisions are determined by the influence of interest groups
Term
Interest Groups
Definition
An organization of people who share a common political interest and aim to influence public policy by electioneering and lobbying
Term
K Street
Definition
Term
Latent
Definition
A group of politically like-minded people that is not represented by an interest group
Term
Lobbying
Definition
Efforts to influence public policy through contact with public officials on behalf of the interest group
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