Practice Quiz

CLEP US Government

Category - Public Opinion

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Results of public opinion polls are highly unstable. What accounts for that instability?
  1. People eventually develop an interest in the issue
  2. The public is sophisticated in its grasp of detail
  3. The public learns about issues as time passes
  4. Americans are stupid
  5. Opinions are often based on little information
Explanation
Answer: E - Overall, Americans have little knowledge of political issues, and this is shown in the variability of their answers to polling questions. One study a few years ago showed that the average Western European knew as much about US political issues as did the average American. This causes difficulty for policymakers if they try to follow the will of the public, as the public bases their opinions on too little information.
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