Public Opinion

Question 1

a research survey of public opinion

Answer 1

poll

Question 2

the researcher/organization conducting the poll

Answer 2

pollster

Question 3

the individual who takes the poll

Answer 3

respondent

Question 4

a small group selected by a pollster to represent the most important characteristics of an entire population

Answer 4

sample

Question 5

a common method used by pollsters to select a representative sample; every individual in the population has an equal probability of being selected as a respondent; the pollster will make a list of all the geographical units in the country, create groups based on population, and then randomly select respondents within each group in proportion to population

Answer 5

probability (random) sampling

Question 6

respondents are selected at random from a list of ten-digit telephone numbers

Answer 6

national sampling (random digit dialing)

Question 7

a polling method that is based on randomly selecting respondents immediately after they have voted in an election

Answer 7

exit polling

Question 8

an error that occurs as a result of a small sample of the population; sampling error = margin of error; it is determined through results of two different survey samples (e.g. 70% approval rating for a politician in sample 1 vs. 65% approval rating for a politician in sample 2; the sampling error is 5% in this case)

Answer 8

sampling error

Question 9

failure to identify the true distribution of opinion due to the questions being vague or poorly worded

Answer 9

measurement error

Question 10

when a poll conveys the impression that something is significant to the public, but it is not in reality

Answer 10

illusion of salience

Question 11

a polling issue that occurs when the sample is not representative of the population being studied; some opinions are overrepresented, while others are underrepresented

Answer 11

selection bias

Question 12

polling issue that occurs when those who agree to be polled are significantly different from those who refused to take part

Answer 12

non-responsive bias

Question 13

a polling issue that occurs when those surveyed support an individual, party group, etc. because it appears to be successful at that moment or will be successful in the future

Answer 13

bandwagon effect

Question 14

a polling issue in which questions are designed to shape respondents’ opinions

Answer 14

push polling

Question 15

a direct political process that allows the public to petition the government to discuss/debate a specific issue (agenda initiative) or initiate a popular vote on a specific proposal, law, or amendment (referendum initiative); these processes are used at the local level

Answer 15

initiative

Question 16

a direct vote of the electorate on a specific issue of policy

Answer 16

referendum

Question 17

a ballot (referendum) initiative to determine whether an elected official should be removed from office; a recent example was California Governor Gavin Newsom, who was subject to a recall referendum in 2021 (Newsom won the recall referendum with 61% of the vote)

Answer 17

recall