| A | B |
|---|
| public opinion | people's views on matters of public importance |
| political socialization | the process by which people form ideas and opinions about government and politics |
| peer group | friends and companions with whome we work, go to school, and socialize |
| mass media | the forms of communication, such as the press, television, and radio which reach large numbers of people |
| ideology | a collection of politica, social, and economic beliefs that reveal the type and amount of change a person or group wishes to see in society |
| liberal | a person who generally looks to the future for change and improvement in society and to the government to help solve problems that cannot be solved by individuals or private groups |
| conservative | a person who believes that the role of government is to conserve the traditional morals, religions, and customs that have worked for society in the past |
| political spectrum | a line continuum that shows the range of political opinions that can exist in a society. |
| radical | one who favors extreme changes or reforms |
| reactionary | one who favors a return to a previous, usually more conservative, state of affairs |
| moderate | a person who does not take strong ideological stands on issues, but instead remains practical, favoring liberalism or conservatism depending on the circumstance |
| public opinion poll | the sampling of the people's views on matters of importance |
| random sampling | a sample so drawn from the group that every item in the group has an equal chance of being chosen |
| bandwagon effect | joining what appears to be a successful group or movement |
| interest group | an organized group of people who share a common interest and who may try to influence the general public's thinking and government policy making on the issue |
| sit-in | protest demonstration in which people sit down and refuse to move |
| initiative | a procedure the public can use to pass legislation |
| lobbying | effort to influence government policy through the efforts of organized interest groups |
| plea bargain | a process by which a defendant pleads guilty in exchange for a reduced sentence |
