Unit 2 Political Beliefs & Behaviors

Essential Questions

1.       How are political beliefs formed?
2.       How do political beliefs evolve?
3.       Know the process by which political beliefs are transmitted.
4.       Know why US citizens hold certain beliefs about politics?
5.       How do families, schools, and the media act to perpetuate or change political beliefs?
6.       Understand the ways in which political culture affects and informs political participation.
7.       Understand why individuals engage in various forms of political participation and how that participation may 
           affect the political system.
8.       What leads citizens to differ from one another in their political beliefs and behaviors and the political 
           consequences of these differences? (should focus on the demographic features of the American population     
           and the different views that people hold of the political process)
9.       What are the group differences in political beliefs and behavior?
10.     How do changes in political participation affect the political system?
11.     What role is played by party organizations, PACs, and money generally in campaigns?
12.     What roles do the groups listed above play in the electoral process?

Vocabulary

Political socialization
Political ideology
Public opinion
Straw polls
Random sampling
Sample error

Liberal
Radical
Moderate
Gender gap
Conservative reactionary
Saliency
Intensity
Exit polls

Gallup poll
Public agenda
Suffrage
General election
Primary election
Recall
Initiative referendum
Political efficacy

Voter turnout
Coattail effect
Off-year elections
Retrospective voting
Pocket-book voting
Split-ticket voting
Socio economic status

Political Beliefs & Behaviors in the News

View my Flipboard Magazine.

Activities & Assignments

Political Ideology Surveys
Today you will take three different political ideology quizzes (click on the BLUE link) and complete a blog post reflection. You will need to take a screenshot of each result and insert it into your blog reflection and then answer the questions below.

I Side With political quiz

What political party did you agree with most and at what percent?

What issue agreement with the opposite political party surprised you the most? Why?

What issue disagreement with the opposite political party surprised you the most? Why?


On the Issues political Quiz

What top two candidates and by what percentage did you agree with them? Did this surprise you? Explain.

Examine your top match candidate’s stances. Do you agree with most of their answers?  Explain.

Which answer do you disagree with most? Why?


PEW/PBS Political Party political quiz

Which and how did you compare with your party mach? (ID party and percentage)

How did you compare with your age group, sex, race, and religion?

What is your reaction to how you place on the political spectrum? Explain.

Political Socialization Group Quiz doc

Political Socialization visual

Political Socialization 1-pg Review doc

Liberal or Conservative doc

Public Opinion & Political Socialization doc

Public Opinion: Voice of the People video and questions