Public Opinion and Media

• Which theory about the media suggests that what people see or read creates their own perception of reality?

  Cultivation Theory
• Which situation would be an example of direct agenda setting by the media?

  A report on a wave of identity theft cases that have been ignored by government agencies
• In political media, what does the term "framing" mean?

  Framing is the process of giving context or background in the way a news story is portrayed.
• Which action is an example of framing by the media?

  Discussing a politically embarrassing story and providing details on previous experiences of the candidate that are similar
• Which statement is a key principle behind the cultivation theory of the media?

  With time, the media influences the choices of voters on what they view.
• Which statement is true regarding the status of the fairness doctrine?

  The fairness doctrine used to require a station that discusses controversial issues to give time to discussing the different sides on the issue, but it is no longer part of the law.
• Three choices below are parts of the Miller test to determine if material is indecent and should be excluded from broadcast media. Which one choice is not part of the Miller test?

  The material in question involves nudity.
• What did the Equal Time Rule, which was initially part of the Communications Act, require?

  The Equal Time Rule required that if one candidate purchased advertising, all candidates in the same race would be allowed to purchase airtime at the same price.
• What is a major provision of the Communications Act?

  The Communications Act created the Federal Communications Commission to oversee radio stations.
• Which case limited the right of journalists to withhold the names of sources?

  Branzburg v. Hayes
• Which basic issue did Miller v California address?

  The definition of obscenity
• Why is public opinion important to government officials? Choose 2 answers.

  • Politicians want to know what the public thinks. Public opinion polls take the pulse of the people and can help government officials determine what actions to take.
  • Public opinion can help the government be more responsive to the desires of its citizens.
• Which options are agents of socialization? Choose all that apply.

  • Families
  • Social groups
  • The media
  • Prevailing political conditions
• How does a person's political ideology give insight into their public opinion? Choose 3 answers.

  • Political ideologies help others understand a person's philosophy about the role of government.
  • If a person understands an individual's political ideology, they can more accurately predict the individual's public opinions.
  • Political ideologies help others more accurately predict what a person's governmental priorities are.
• Which term refers to "preferences formed based on life experiences and values"?


  Attitudes
• Which statements accurately describe the impact of political socialization on one's life? Choose 2 answers.

  • Political socialization is how individuals come to understand the world around them.
  • Political socialization is how individuals first become aware of the political world.
• Which of these factors affect the formation of public opinion? Choose 3 answers.

  • Attitudes
  • Beliefs
  • Socialization
• Which examples suggest factors that would make a person’s ideology more likely to shift? Choose 3 answers.

  • A person's ideology may shift if their ideology is not strongly connected to their beliefs.
  • A person's ideology may shift if, as a child, they grew up being told that women are the weaker sex, but later in life joined the army and fought side-by-side with both men and women.
  • A person's ideology may shift after the attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.
• In public opinion formation, what are the differences between heuristics and research? Choose 2 answers.

  • Heuristics allow voters to make decisions quickly, while research takes more time.
  • Heuristics supply surface-level information, while research provides a deeper context.
• Which demographic groups can be responsible for changes in public opinion? Select all that apply.

  • The workplace
  • Age
  • Race
  • Political elites
• Which examples demonstrate the process of forming an opinion based on heuristics? Choose 2 answers.

  • When an individual goes to vote on election day, there are names on the ballot that they do not recognize. However, since they are a Democrat, they cast their vote for all Democratic candidates.
  • An individual did not have enough time to find out all they could about the candidate for mayor. But they know that years ago the candidate was a model for a fashion magazine, so the person does not think they have the qualifications to be a good mayor.
• Citizens form their opinions about issues and political candidates in two ways: relying on heuristics or doing research.

  Which actions are examples of relying on heuristics? Choose 2 answers.

  • Voting for a candidate based on party allegiance.
  • Deciding about a candidate based on their prior occupation.
• Why do politicians pay attention to the public mood through public opinion polls? Choose 3 answers.

  • Knowing poll results helps them to shift their support to win elections.
  • Knowing poll results helps them to gain support for their policy preferences and initiatives.
  • Knowing poll results helps them to know what the public wants so that they can make decisions that better represent the people.
• How does the media make use of public opinion polling during elections? Choose 3 answers.

  • Horserace coverage
  • Exit polls
  • The bandwagon effect
• How do political actors use popular approval ratings? Select all that apply.

  • When presidents have high approval ratings, they use their popularity to try to accomplish personal policy goals.
  • Members of the House of Representatives have more pressure to shift to the preferences of public opinion to sustain high approval ratings.
  • Approval ratings do not harm members of the Senate as much as the House of Representatives as senators have more time to recover if they make an unpopular decision.
  • Members of the Supreme Court are not usually affected by popular or unpopular approval ratings.
• What is the bandwagon effect? Choose two answers.

  • the bandwagon effect occurs when the media pays more attention to candidates who perform well during the fall and first few primary elections.
  • The bandwagon effect occurs when increased coverage by the media leads to a shift in support of a candidate by the electorate.
• How is public opinion of the president different than public opinion of Congress? Select the three correct answers. Choose three answers.

  • The president is viewed as both a person and an institution, while Congress is viewed mostly as an institution.
  • The public is more informed and aware of the actions of the president than they are Congress.
  • The media plays close attention to the president, therefore granting multiple points in public opinion.