Download Unit 3 Chapter Guides

Unit 3 Notes – Political Beliefs and Behaviors
Chapter 4
1. According to Alexis de Tocqueville, why was democracy able to take root in the U.S.?
2. Define “political culture.”
3. Identify and explain the give elements in the American view of the political system.
4. How do we know people share these beliefs about American political culture?
5. How do we explain behavior inconsistent with these beliefs?
6. Why is there so much political conflict in U.S. history?
7. How does the term “Americanism” bind us together?
8. Describe the American economic system and our beliefs about it.
9. How does America compare to other nations when it comes to beliefs about politics,
economics, and religion? Give examples.
10. Define “civic duty” and “civic competence.”
11. What are some of the historical roots of American political culture? Give examples.
12. What are some of the legal/sociological factors that contributed to American political
culture? Give examples.
13. What is the culture war? How does culture war differ from political disputes? What are
some examples of culture war?
14. Define the two war “camps.”
15. How has our trust in the government changed over the last 50 years or so? Give
examples. What are the cause of these changes?
16. What is political efficacy? Describe the two parts of political efficacy.
17. Why do we need at least a minimal level of tolerance in democratic politics? How would
you describe America’s tolerance level?
18. How do very unpopular groups survive?
Chapter 7
1. Define “public opinion.” Over the years, what have studies shown regarding the public’s
opinions on governmental issues?
2. Describe how polling works. Explain the terms poll, random sample, sampling error, and
exit polls.
3. Explain the concepts of opinion saliency, opinion stability, and opinion-policy
congruence. Give examples.
4. What is political socialization? What role does it play in informing people’s opinions?
5. How do mass and elite opinions differ?
6. Describe the role of the family in political socialization. Give examples.
7. Describe the role of religion in political socialization.
8. Describe the gender gap in politics.
9. Describe the role education plays in political socialization.
10. Is social class important to Americans in regard to public opinions? Why or why not?
Give examples.
11. Describe the various ways in which race and ethnicity affect public opinions. Give
examples.
12. What effects does region have on public opinion? Give examples.
13. Define “political ideology.” How is this measured?
14. What are the differences between “liberalism” and “conservatism?” What categories
help define these terms?
15. Why do we need more than two labels to describe ideology? Describe the four categories
explained in the book.
16. Why do political elites (or activists) tend to display greater ideological consistency?
How do they influence public opinion?
Chapter 8
1. Describe the alleged problem of non-voting. Why might the data be misleading? What is
an explanation for the problem? What are some suggested solutions to the problem?
2. Who initially decided who could vote? What laws and amendments passed by Congress
have reduced state prerogatives in regard to voting? Give examples.
3. Through what methods were African-Americans kept from voting? Give examples.
4. Describe the two theories regarding the declining percentages of eligible adults who vote,
as well as the evidence supporting each theory.
5. For those scholars who see a real decline in voting, what causes do they point to as the
reason for this decline?
6. How can the voter turnout calculation method affect the numbers?
7. Do non-voters’ absences have an effect on electoral outcomes? Why or why not?
8. Describe Verba and Nie’s six categories of participation and U.S. citizens.
9. How does education , gender, religion, or race affect voting? What kinds of people are
likely to vote?
10. What factors decrease voter turnout? Give examples.
11. Describe the fight between Democrats and Republicans over the solutions to low voter
turnout.
12. Even though Americans may be voting less, how else are we participating? What do
participation rates mean?