Comp Politics Multiple Choice

When there is disagreement within a country about who the legitimate rulers are, it can lead to a civil war. In recent times, where was there a civil war and struggle over sovereignty that lasted for more than 25 years?

A. A) Angola B) Syria C) Tunisia D) Spanish Sahara

While stereotypes are not considered a valid way to judge someone from a given culture, some political scientists have used national character studies to anticipate how any given country is likely to act, based on history, culture, and popular beliefs in that country. Which of the following is an example of a national character?

A. A) Germany is a natural leader for the European Union because the Germans tend to be organized, industrious, and fiscally conservative. B) Since most Americans are pro-gun rights, the National Rifle Association continues to thrive. C) Most French women are highly emotional, so it is unlikely one would ever seek to become president. D) Someone from Mexico is likely to be associated with a drug cartel because it is one of the only ways to make money in that country.

What are the four essential characteristics of the scientific method?

A. A) Science is empirical, cumulative, testable, and entails a search for regularities. B) Science is nonauthoritative, intuitive, based on personal experiences, and testable. C) Science is authoritative, specific, cumulative, and rational. D) Science is rational, intuitive, ideologically based, and entails a search for specifics.

According to research, which two countries have vastly different values, including attitudes about gay rights?

A. A) Switzerland and Zambia B) Switzerland and Mexico C) United States and Switzerland D) Uganda and Morocco

Suppose German twins are separated four months after birth. One grows up in Germany and the other in South Africa. They meet 20 years later and realize they have strikingly similar political beliefs and behaviors. How would you account for this?

A. A) There may be a genetic, biological, or inherited predisposition for political behavior. B) Germany and South Africa have very similar political systems. C) It is likely that they read similar books. D) There is no way to account for it scientifically.

Since World War II, there has been an increase in ethnoreligious conflicts throughout the world. One example is the conflict between Hindus and Buddhists in Sri Lanka. This might be explained by __________.

A. A) a theory of clashing political cultures or political civilizations B) the waning influence of belief in God and religion worldwide C) the glorification of war in modern society D) the rise of religious extremism

Torture is defined as inflicting direct bodily harm, often using an instrument of force. Torture is a form of what type of power?

A. A) coercive B) social C) soft D) economic

What ideology would argue that material inequality is natural and inevitable and that any attempt to promote material equality will only cause social conflict and instability?

A. A) conservatism B) classical liberalism C) liberalism D) socialism

What ideology is opposed to egalitarianism or material equality?

A. A) conservatism B) socialism C) classical liberalism D) liberalism

The greatest flaws in theories of national character, as discussed by Samuel Huntington, have been exposed by __________.

A. A) empirical research documenting considerable differences in political beliefs within one country or culture B) recent trends in international immigration and more leniency in global trade regulations C) constraint theories D) world value surveys

Public opinion polls __________.

A. A) gather, aggregate, and summarize the attitudes of many people on certain issues B) test the degree of similarity between civilizations C) provide factual knowledge about history, constitutions, and procedures to politicians D) evoke emotions in a person by using political phenomena

Homo politicus is a phrase coined by Aristotle that __________.

A. A) is not consistent with recent research findings regarding the salience of political issues for most people B) is consistent with recent research findings regarding the salience of political issues for most people C) is often used by present-day politicians D) describes how people form political beliefs

Voting and campaign activities influence the selection and action of political authorities. This demonstrates the concept of __________.

A. A) political action B) linkage institutions C) political systems D) political contributions

Which of the following are furthered when many people come together to join a political group?

A. A) political agendas B) court rulings C) political inertia D) military dictatorships

In France, if the president had an extramarital affair, it would not get much press coverage. In the United States, presidential candidates are scrutinized for marital fidelity and adherence to heterosexual norms. A violation of such norms is sometimes reason for a candidate or elected official to resign. The differences between the two countries can best be explained by differing __________.

A. A) political environments B) demographics C) legal systems D) religious cultures

Politics is the __________.

A. A) process through which power and influence are used in the promotion of certain values and interests B) prescription of what happens in certain circumstances C) distribution of punishment in crimes against society D) stagnant determination of institutional boundaries

Terrorism is the threat of or the use of violence to promote a political agenda. Terrorists usually choose their targets carefully to gain maximum attention and exposure for their cause or grievance. Which theory best explains the political psychology of terrorists?

A. A) rational choice theory B) intergroup relations C) cognitive and affective psychology D) personality and psychodynamics

Which agent of socialization becomes more important as one becomes an adult?

A. A) social networks B) parents C) the family D) schools

The difference between normative political theory and empirical political theory can be otherwise described as the difference between __________.

A. A) what should be and what is in society B) political hypothesis and political opinion C) political parties D) the average and the exceptional in society

In most political systems, what is considered the broadest linkage institution?

A. A) a political party B) the ballot box C) the government D) social media

In order to facilitate the coordination of government operations, political parties tend to __________.

A. A) establish an internal hierarchy B) push back against the influence of lobbyists C) oppose policy ideas from fellow members of the party working in other branches of government D) recruit new candidates to run for political office

If you place great confidence in your teacher regarding his political knowledge, which source of authority does he represent?

B. A) "everyone" B) specific C) general D) governmental

Intuition is based on feeling and a sense of understanding or empathy. Which statement below represents an appeal to intuition?

B. A) German Chancellor Angela Merkel helped break the glass ceiling for women in politics! B) Make America Great Again! C) China is a growing global economic power! D) Driving above the speed limit is against the law!

Hannah is a progressive in the United States and votes for the Democratic Party. What is the likely effect of her social networks on her political opinions?

B. A) Hannah's peers and colleagues cause her to frequently question her political opinions. B) The political views expressed by Hannah's peers and colleagues reinforce her political opinions. C) Hannah's peers and colleagues have no effect on her opinions because she already has her own political opinions. D) Hannah often finds herself arguing with her peers and colleagues about politics.

The notion that most Americans have very little political knowledge and are largely ignorant about politics is associated with which researcher?

B. A) Karl Marx B) Philip Converse C) Samuel Huntington D) Aristotle

Nationalism is defined as a powerful commitment to the advancement of the interests and welfare of an individual's own nation with minimal concern about the conditions of those outside the nation. This was demonstrated in violent fashion by which European country before and during World War II?

B. A) Poland B) Germany C) Austria D) France

Mohandas Gandhi and Osama bin Laden came from similar socioeconomic backgrounds and had similar influences in early life, but their political ideologies and behaviors differed dramatically. What shortcoming of political personality research does this highlight?

B. A) Their cases are a puzzling exception because upbringing usually predicts future behaviors. B) Early influences do not necessarily predict later political behavior. C) Psychobiographies account for all the influences on someone's development. D) Mental disorders are not taken into account in political personality research.

Which of the following is a true statement about Samuel Huntington's analyses of civilizations?

B. A) They account for the influences of multiple identities (national, regional, etc.) on one individual. B) They are controversial and not completely supported by empirical evidence. C) They have been completely discredited in subsequent studies. D) Huntington identified five distinct "civilizations."

Certain groups are known as "linkage institutions" because they __________.

B. A) avoid working with other groups to change politics B) tend to link people to the political system C) help to connect the federal government and foreign governments D) bind groups to their economic class

Democratic socialists disagree with Marxist-Leninist socialists on what point?

B. A) corporatism B) the use of violence to promote change C) laissez-faire economics or capitalism D) egalitarianism

Which type of knowledge is evidence-based and obtained through rigorous scientific observation?

B. A) explanatory value knowledge B) empirical political knowledge C) prescriptive value knowledge D) normative political knowledge

If an individual grows up in a society where poverty is widespread, the likelihood that that person will engage in political rebellion is __________.

B. A) higher, because such an environment will produce a frustrated population that will be more responsive to a revolutionary movement promising future prosperity B) difficult to predict C) average, because scholars have found that poverty is not a variable of the environment that influences political behavior D) lower, because people in such a society are too concerned with basic survival to have the time and/or energy to engage in political action

If I were to meet an important politician and spend my time with her describing my personal experiences as an immigrant in order to convince her to take a different position on immigration policy, what kind of evidence would I be using to support my position?

B. A) intuitive B) anecdotal C) empirical D) authoritative

Under which circumstances can a nonassociational interest group become a social movement?

B. A) never, as these groups do not fit the criteria B) when its activities on an issue of social change become more sustained, organized, and reliant on unconventional tactics C) when its supporters increase in number D) when its activities on an issue of social change become more fluid and less violent

What is the most reliable comparative empirical data on political participation in countries around the world?

B. A) participation in major street protests B) voter turnout in national elections C) membership in political parties D) voter registration in particular cities

The fact that the voting rate in Vietnam is so much higher than in the United States illustrates the importance of what in understanding a person's political behavior?

B. A) political aspirations B) environment C) political belief D) personality

Being unmarried, having children, being of higher socioeconomic status, being female, and being non-white are all characteristics that are correlated with __________.

B. A) political inaction B) more contentious political action C) stronger ideological convictions D) feelings of political apathy

Most political organizations could not function effectively without __________ because they do the day-to-day work of politics.

B. A) powerful leaders B) foot soldiers C) revolutionaries D) extremist-activists

Corporatism involves the close cooperation of, and coordination among, major sectoral interest groups such as business, labor, or farmers working alongside _________.

B. A) private citizens B) government agencies C) other interest groups D) judges

Successful __________ capture supreme political power within a government and use it with extraordinary energy and effect.

B. A) single-issue activists B) political leaders C) voters D) foot soldiers

Political scientists classify feelings or emotions based on political events as __________ orientations.

B. A) socialist B) affective C) cognitive D) evaluative

A prescription __________.

B. A) specifies why something happens B) is a value judgment that indicates what should occur and should be done C) uses tradition to explain a particular issue D) focuses on straightforward political facts

Which of the following is the most extreme example of how schools can influence a person's political beliefs?

B. A) students write letters to government officials as part of their school assignments B) students memorize the life stories and sayings of their leaders C) pictures of the country's leaders hang in every school room D) students learn about their government, including who their leaders are

Salience is the __________.

B. A) subject matter of a person's beliefs B) importance or significance that a person attaches to his or her beliefs C) consistency of some general principles that characterize a person's belief system D) nature of a person's beliefs

Political theory as a subfield of political science is primarily concerned with __________.

B. A) the diplomatic relations between countries B) ideas and debates concerning important political issues C) concepts pertaining only to the United States D) describing current events and real-world examples of politics in action

Which of the following is the first—and often the most powerful and lasting—agent of political socialization?

B. A) the media B) the family C) social networks D) schools

What is the goal of science and the scientific method?

B. A) to adapt facts to accommodate unconventional thinking, including myths and conspiracies B) to answer what, why, and how questions C) to be convinced that something is true because of personal experience D) to answer who, when, and where questions

In the United States, President Bill Clinton was criticized for "renting the Lincoln Bedroom" in the White House. What was the primary purpose of allowing people to spend time in this historic room?

B. A) to allow him to have private conversations with foreign leaders B) to seek political contributions C) to promote a positive view of the administration D) to handle overcrowding of Washington, DC, hotels for dignitaries

Which of the following pairs of ideologies are most opposed to each other?

B. A) classical liberalism and libertarianism B) classical liberalism and Marxist-Leninist socialism C) conservatism and classical liberalism D) conservatism and libertarianism

Research shows that most people's short-term political opinions are __________.

B. A) rigid B) volatile C) stable D) consistent

Which countries do experts believe have operational nuclear devices as part of the so-called "nuclear club"?

C. A) Brazil, Libya, South Africa, Japan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq B) China, Israel, India, Afghanistan, Iran, Australia, South Africa, France, and the United States C) China, France, India, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States D) Argentina, Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, and China

Why are demographic characteristics so important to study in terms of understanding voting and elections?

C. A) Demographic factors are the primary source of a person's political beliefs. B) Demographic factors do not influence which candidate someone will vote for, but they do influence a person's likelihood of voting. C) Demographic factors influence not only if someone is likely to vote, but also for whom he or she is likely to vote. D) Demographic factors explain culture.

Imagine that you are traveling in Europe and the newspaper is reporting on the activities of Le Republique en Marche near you. You are most likely in __________.

C. A) Iceland B) Scotland C) France D) Northern Ireland

Which of the following best describes the importance of religion in political socialization?

C. A) Religion encourages people to avoid politics. B) Religious extremists believe religion is not connected to the justification of their actions. C) Religion can influence people's political beliefs and actions. D) Religion teaches right from wrong even to people who are not religious.

In Saudi Arabia, what best explains why there are fewer women political activists?

C. A) The Saudi government encourages women to become political activists so they rebel by avoiding activism. B) Women of Saudi Arabia already have all the rights women in the United States strive for. C) Islamic law, as it is applied in Saudi Arabia, does not treat men and women equally. D) Women in Saudi Arabia are less likely to be political activists compared to American women because Saudi women do not want basic rights.

Which of the following statements offers examples of descriptive, explanatory, and prescriptive knowledge (in that order)?

C. A) The United States should never have gone to war against Iraq; the Middle East presents a unique foreign policy challenge; the war in Afghanistan should continue to be fought. B) Jimmy Carter was a one-term president; President George W. Bush was elected to two terms; President Barack Obama was elected to two terms. C) President Barack Obama was elected to two terms; he appealed to younger and minority voters to win campaigns; future Democratic candidates should employ a similar strategy to win. D) Taxes are too high; unemployment should be lower; government regulation should be limited.

National character studies are sometimes criticized because they __________.

C. A) are almost always based on racist and/or sexist ideas B) assert that everyone fits the national character profile C) are often generalizations that oversimplify political reality D) can never be validated scientifically

An ideal type is a __________.

C. A) broker of ideas B) group that is only interested in pursuing political objectives C) set of distinctive forms of a phenomenon defined in order to reveal the different ways in which key characteristics can be combined D) short-lived, spontaneous aggregation of people who are good at dealing quickly with a political concern of interest to them

When people accede to what another person wants because they believe that the other person has the legitimate right to demand such compliance, they do so because they believe in that person's authority. Authority can be based on __________.

C. A) charisma, soft power, and/or law B) contract, law, and/or power C) charisma, tradition, and/or law D) tradition, power, and/or contract

Philip Converse's research found that a small group of Americans possesses a sophisticated political belief system with detailed political knowledge, while the rest of the population is largely ignorant in terms of political knowledge. How did Converse characterize the belief system of this small group?

C. A) conservative B) mass C) elite D) pluralist

A sovereign state has the right to resist and reject any aggression, invasion, or intervention within its territorial borders. This is characteristic of its territorial __________.

C. A) entity B) nation-state C) integrity D) dependence

Some scholars argue that the best situation for effective governance is one in which an area has both the territorial borders of a single state and a citizenry who all share the same primary national identity—in other words, a(n) __________.

C. A) indigenous state B) stateless nation C) nation-state D) multinational state

Territorial integrity can be a fuzzy concept because __________.

C. A) not all borders are guarded B) nations and states are difficult to distinguish between C) there are often disputes over borders D) the legitimacy of rulers is often called into question

If you were evaluating rates of voter turnout in 10 different countries, what subfield of political science would be involved?

C. A) political theory B) American politics C) comparative politics D) international relations

Identity politics means that a key shared trait has led a significant group of people to see themselves as distinctive. Which of the following traits would be considered a major political factor around which an identity is likely to be formed?

C. A) prestige B) survival C) religion D) eye color

Associational interest groups are formed to __________.

C. A) promote nationalistic identity, mostly in Europe B) achieve goals other than affecting the political system C) further the political objectives of their own members D) allow people to share some common hobbies in a temporary setting

What factor has increased the willingness and ability of individuals to join in public protests against unpopular regimes, leaders, and policies?

C. A) repressive practices B) giving women driver's licenses C) social networking technologies D) increased suffrage

A high-quality and smoothly operating public transportation system in a country would be an example of a form of values that are __________.

C. A) services B) symbolic goods C) material goods D) conditions

What framework of analysis would best explain why two rival tribes are in conflict?

C. A) social network theory B) the psychodynamics approach C) the intergroup relations approach D) personality formation

What ideology values individual freedom above all and believes the role of government should be quite limited?

C. A) socialism B) fascism C) classical liberalism D) conservatism

Which of the following groups is most likely to participate in the next U.S. presidential election?

C. A) swing voters B) those who did not participate in the previous election C) people who are highly educated with higher income D) college students

Which group is considered an extremist group on the basis of its willingness to pursue extensive, radical agendas through any means necessary?

C. A) the World Wildlife Foundation in the United States B) the National League for Democracy in Myanmar C) Boko Haram D) Mothers Against Drunk Driving

If the government of a state convicts someone of a violent crime against a fellow citizen and sentences that person to death through a legal process, it is an example of __________.

C. A) the pretext for a humanitarian intervention B) a dispute over the legitimacy of rulers C) the legitimate use of force to enforce laws within its borders in accordance with the notion of sovereignty D) the legitimate use of force in the maintenance of territorial integrity

Why is it difficult to obtain adequate explanations about political phenomena?

C. A) There are no indisputable answers. B) They raise complicated issues that cannot ever be adequately explained. C) Patterns of cause and effect can be extremely complex. D) They rarely include claims or assumptions so no assessment of the truth is possible.

Developing a taxonomy is often the __________ stage in political analysis.

C. A) final B) second C) first D) third

The political process involves the competition of __________ and __________ in the determination of who gets what, when, and how.

C. A) standards; practices B) ethics; morals C) values; interests D) time; money

Which of the following is a correct assessment of the role of demographic characteristics in predicting voting behavior?

D. A) Demographic characteristics are irrelevant in explaining voting behavior. B) Demographic characteristics are not reliable predictors of how someone is likely to vote. C) Demographic characteristics are an unreliable basis for determining voting behavior because these characteristics change from election to election. D) Demographic characteristics can predict how someone is likely to vote.

Researchers often use public opinion polls to determine what percentage of people hold a particular political belief. Why should these polls be regarded with caution?

D. A) Polls are never reliable because there are so many methods for conducting them. B) Polls are only sponsored by political candidates who will manipulate the numbers. C) Most people are not politically informed and are likely to choose random answers in a poll. D) The researchers conducting the poll could be biased, or the data could be open to different interpretations.

A few disaffected Muslim teenagers are planning a terrorist attack in revenge for the mistreatment and persistent discrimination they have experienced. Recent studies of the psychology of those who engage in terrorist attacks have found that terrorists tend to share certain traits. Which of the following is likely to be true about these teenagers and their motivations?

D. A) They have high self-esteem. B) They were abused as children. C) They were recruited by a political party. D) They feel alienated and frustrated.

Politics is associated with those aspects of life that __________.

D. A) are not affiliated with individuals' interests B) only have personal and private significance C) center on personal conflict D) have public significance

In contrast to ideological parties, pragmatic parties tend to __________.

D. A) be rigid in their beliefs and place greater demands on government B) work outside of the system to bring about change by any means necessary C) hold a permanent place in government and work to limit the power of other parties D) hold more flexible goals and are oriented toward moderate or incremental policy change

In addition to Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy, which other groups stand in the greatest numbers against the military dictatorship in Myanmar?

D. A) civil servants and atheists B) college professors and Christian missionaries C) diplomats and Islamic scholars D) college students and Buddhist monks

What approach to political psychology—explaining political behavior according to psychology—claims that people have relatively stable preferences and that they will try to think through how to achieve outcomes consistent with those preferences?

D. A) cognitive and affective psychology B) intergroup relations C) personality and psychodynamics D) rational choice theory

We know that the standard practices of politics vary by country. Thus, political scientists would be interested in a situation in which one country considers something to be __________ and another country considers it to be __________.

D. A) ethical; moral B) standard; illegal C) valued; important D) private; public

What ideology believes in promoting equality among people, particularly material equality?

D. A) fascism B) conservatism C) classical liberalism D) socialism

In almost every contemporary society, the domains subject to politics __________.

D. A) focus primarily on the economy B) focus mainly on individual rights C) are guided by religious principles D) are very large

The Universal Human Rights Declaration adopted by the United Nations in 1948 defines respect for human rights as __________.

D. A) life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness B) freedom of speech and the right to vote C) liberty for all D) life, liberty, and the security of person

Since we know that the broader cultural, social, economic, and physical environments can have indirect but powerful influences on a person's political behavior, we can posit that a woman who grows up in Saudi Arabia, where the culture traditionally relegates women to a secondary role, is __________.

D. A) not going to run for office because it is illegal B) just as likely to run for office as a man because she anticipates getting support from the women of her country C) more likely to run for office than her Norwegian counterpart because Saudi women need more progress for women's equality in their country D) less likely to run for office than her counterpart in Rwanda, where the government values women in office

If you are influenced by a party's stated beliefs and trust that it would represent your own viewpoints, you have established a clear __________.

D. A) party mobilization B) expertise on the issues C) party coordination D) party identification

Imagine a group that is established to push for specific political changes, but does not attempt to elect candidates to public office. This would mean that the group would fail to be considered a(n) __________.

D. A) private group B) nonprofit organization C) interest group D) political party

Political beliefs based on a synthesis of facts and feelings are called __________ orientations.

D. A) socialist B) affective C) cognitive D) evaluative

The study of international relationships includes knowledge about international organizations. Which of the following organizations is considered an international organization?

D. A) the U.S. Senate B) the Texas state legislature C) the British monarchy D) the United Nations

The key element of the subfield of comparative politics is that it focuses on __________.

D. A) the political relations among countries B) the ideas and debates that consider the dynamics of the worldwide system C) the behavior of transnational actors D) similarities and differences in political processes and structures

In Iran, the Koran is the central Islamic religious text. Political scientists would consider this a __________.

D. A) universal authority document B) specific authority source C) nonauthoritative religious source D) general authority source

When taken together, characteristics such as age, gender, ethnicity, education, income, social class, and occupation are known as a person's __________ characteristics.

D. A) visible B) invisible C) dynamic D) demographic

One of the overarching goals of a state is to provide security, the most fundamental aspect of which is __________.

D. A) welfare distribution B) order maintenance C) democratization D) survival

Social networks include friends and colleagues from peer groups such as work, school, and church. Which of the following best describes the effect social networks have on political socialization?

D. A) Social networks have no effect on a person's political beliefs. B) Social networks are the first step in the socialization process. C) As a person gets older, social networks have minimal effect on his or her political activities. D) A person tends to be influenced by what "people like me" think.

Why are boundary-spanning hybrids of the discipline of political science valuable?

D. A) They focus on political relations in countries other than the United States. B) They avoid methods based on rationality. C) They are limited to characterization and interpretation of the writings of lesser-known political theorists. D) They link with other fields of inquiry.

Personal thought is problematic as a source of political knowledge because __________.

D. A) few people understand its uses in the scientific method B) everyone tends to have the same experiences within a particular country and therefore there are no "original" ideas for solving problems C) it fails to take economic considerations into account D) people have different experiences, thereby reaching different opinions, and there is no method for resolving these differences

Major economic organizations with whom the government cultivates a special relationship because they can influence political decisions or policy changes may include __________.

D. A) labor, interest groups, and human development associations B) business, labor, and think tanks C) administrations, labor, and customs associations D) business, labor, and farmers