The American Democracy, 10th Edition (Patterson)

Chapter 6: Public Opinion and Political Socialization: Shaping the People's Voice

Glossary


agents of socialization  Those agents, such as the family and the media, that have a significant impact on citizens’ political socialization.
economic conservatives  Those who believe government tries to do too many things that should be left to private interests and economic markets.
economic liberals  Those who believe government should do more to assist people who have difficulty meeting their economic needs on their own.
ideology  A consistent pattern of opinion on particular issues that stems from a core belief or set of beliefs.
libertarians  Those who believe government tries to do too many things that should be left to firms and markets, and who oppose government as an instrument for upholding traditional values.
party identification  The personal sense of loyalty that an individual may feel toward a particular political party.
political culture  The characteristic and deep-seated beliefs of a particular people about government and politics.
political socialization  The learning process by which people acquire their political opinions, beliefs, and values.
population  In a public opinion poll, the people (for example, the citizens of a nation) whose opinions are being estimated through interviews with a sample of these people.
populists  Those who believe government should do more to assist people who have difficulty meeting their economic needs and who look to government to uphold traditional values.
public opinion  The politically relevant opinions held by ordinary citizens that they express openly.
public opinion poll  A device for measuring public opinion whereby a relatively small number of individuals (the sample) are interviewed for the purpose of estimating the opinions of a whole community (the population).
sample  In a public opinion poll, the relatively small number of individuals who are interviewed for the purpose of estimating the opinions of an entire population.
sampling error  A measure of the accuracy of a public opinion poll. The sampling error is mainly a function of sample size and is usually expressed in percentage terms.
social (cultural) conservatives  Those who believe government power should be used to uphold traditional values.
social (cultural) liberals  Those who believe it is not government’s role to buttress traditional values at the expense of unconventional or new values.
Patterson Tenth Edition Large Cover
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