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Poli. Sci
Exam 2. Chapter 8. Vocab Words
21
Political Studies
Undergraduate 2
10/19/2010

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Term
Public Opinion
Definition
The views of the citizenry about politics, public issues, and public policies; a complex collection of opinions held by many people on issues in the public arena
Term
Political Socialization
Definition
The learning process through which most people acquire their political attitudes, opinions, beliefs, and knowledge.
Term
Agents of Political Socialization
Definition
People and institutions that influence the political view of others.
Term
Media
Definition
Newspapers, magazines, television, radio, the Internet, and any other printed or electronic means of communication.
Term
Peer Group
Definition
Associates, often close in age to one another; may include friends, classmates, co-workers, club members, or religious group members. Peer group influence is a significant factor in the political socialization process. 
Term
Public Opinion Poll
Definition
 A numerical survey of the public's opinion on a particular topic at a particular moment
Term
Sample
Definition
In the context of opinion polling, a group of people selected to represent the population being studied.
Term
Straw Poll
Definition
A nonscientific poll; a poll in which there is no way to ensure that the opinions expressed are representative of the larger population.
Term
Biased Sample
Definition
A poll sample that does not accurately represent the population.
Term
Random Sample
Definition
In the context of opinion polling, a sample in which each person within the entire population being polled has an equal chance of being chosen.
Term
Sampling error
Definition
In the context of opinion polling, the difference between what the sample results show and what the true results would have been had everybody in the relevant population been interviewed.
Term
Push Poll
Definition
A campaign tactic used to feed false or misleading information to potential voters, under the guise of taking an opinion poll, with the intent to "push" voters away from one candidate and toward another. 
Term
Literacy Test
Definition
A test given to voters to ensure that they could read and write and thus evaluate political information; a technique used in many southern states to restrict African American participation in elections. 
Term
Poll Tax
Definition
A fee of several dollars that had to be paid before a person could vote; a device used in some southern states to prevent African Americans from voting. 
Term
Grandfather Clause
Definition
A clause in a state law that had the effect of restricting the franchise (voting rights) to those whose ancestors had voted before the 1860's; on of the techniques used in the South to prevent African Americans from exercising their right to vote. 
Term
White Primary
Definition
A primary election in which African Americans were prohibited from voting. The practice was banned by the Supreme Court in 1944.
Term
Voting-Age Population
Definition
The number of people residing in the united States who are at least eighteen years old. 
Term
Vote-Eligible Population.
Definition
The number of people who are actually eligible to vote in an American election.
Term
Solid South
Definition
A term used to describe the tendency of the southern states to vote Democratic after the Civil War
Term
Vital Center
Definition
The center of the political spectrum; those who hold moderate political views. The center is vital because without it, it may be difficult, if not impossible, to reach the compromises that are necessary to a political system's continuity. 
Term
Gender Gap
Definition
The difference between the percentage of votes cast for a particular candidate by women and the percentage of votes cast for the same candidate by men. 
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