POSC 100 Final Study Guide

Labor groups represent _____ percent of the total number of interest groups registered to lobby in Washington. a. 2 (Note: b-d are not shown on study guide photo)

a. 2

________ is the power the media have to shape what issues Americans think about and ________ is the power the media have to influence how Americans think about those issues. a. Agenda-setting; framing b. Framing; agenda-setting c. Framing; priming d. Priming; framing

a. Agenda-setting; framing

The practice of lobbying is protected by a. the First Amendment b. state and federal laws dating from the 1930s c. internal rules of Congress d. a 1961 Supreme Court decision

a. the First Amendment

Which of the following laws passed by the Congress of the Confederation compelled states to surrender their western land claims? a. the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 b. the Land Ordinance of 1785 c. the Alien and Sedition Acts d. the Navigation Act of 1818

a. the Northwest Ordinance of 1787

"Me too" Republicanism refers to a. the tendency of Republican politicians during the New Deal to support popular programs such as Social Security rather than advocate alternative policies. b. the tendency of southern Republican politicians after the Civil War to demand that all federal laws apply equally to the northern and southern states. c. the tendency of northern Republican politicians after the Civil War to demand that all federal laws favor the northern states over the southern states. d. an ideology that argues a strong federal government should promote economic equality.

a. the tendency of Republican politicians during the New Deal to support popular programs such as Social Security rather than advocate alternative policies.

Members of interest groups in the United States are typically people a. with higher incomes, more education, and management or professional occupations b. with lower incomes, less education, and manual labor occupations

a. with higher incomes, more education, and management or professional occupations

Shays's Rebellion was significant because it a. convinced many observers that the government under the Articles of Confederation had become dangerously inefficient and indecisive. b. started the Revolutionary War. c. persuaded many colonists that slavery should be outlawed in the Constitution. d. convinced Congress to approve the Louisiana Purchase.

a. convinced many observers that the government under the Articles of Confederation had become dangerously inefficient and indecisive.

The average American a. exhibits little knowledge of political institutions, processes, leaders, or policy debates. b. exhibits generally strong knowledge of political institutions, processes, leaders, and policy debates. c. exhibits little knowledge of political institutions and processes but generally strong knowledge of political leaders and policy debates. d. exhibits generally strong knowledge of political institutions and processes but little knowledge of political leaders or policy debates.

a. exhibits little knowledge of political institutions, processes, leaders, or policy debates.

The percentage of Americans who indicate they trust the government "just about always or most of the time" has a. fallen from over 70 percent in 1960 to just 15 percent in 2017. b. fallen from 95 percent in 1960 to just 65 percent in 2017. c. increased from just 15 percent in 1960 to more than 70 percent in 2017. d. remained unchanged since 1960.

a. fallen from over 70 percent in 1960 to just 15 percent in 2017.

The solidary benefits of interest groups include a. friendship and consciousness-raising b. special services and goods c. information and money d. identification with the purpose or ideology of the group

a. friendship and consciousness-raising

From the end of the Civil War to the 1890s, the ________ Party was the party of the North, while the ________ Party was the party of the South. a. Democratic; Republican b. Republican; Democratic c. Federalist; Whig d. Whig; Federalist

b. Republican; Democratic

Which of the following news sources reaches the MOST Americans? a. radio b. Television c. the internet d. newspapers

b. Television

What does the supremacy clause assert? a. Congress is the most powerful branch of the government. b. The Constitution and all laws made under it are superior to any state laws. c. State laws are superior to any federal laws. d.No European powers shall interfere in North America.

b. The Constitution and all laws made under it are superior to any state laws.

A(n) ________ occurs when a voter must be registered with a party prior to voting in that party's election. a. open primary b. closed primary c. majority system d. Referendum

b. closed primary

A benefit that is sought by an interest group and that once achieved cannot be denied to nonmembers is called a a. free rider b. collective good c. solidary benefit d. purposive benefit

b. collective good

A ________ is a system of government in which member states retain almost all of their sovereign authority and delegate limited powers to a weak central body. a. republic b. confederation c. bicameral state d. unitary state

b. confederation

Declining levels of trust in government are important because declining trust has been linked to a. increases in political participation and voting. b. declines in political participation and voting. c. higher rates of violent crime. d. more citizens emigrate from the country.

b. declines in political participation and voting.

In order to over the ____ , interest groups often provide ___ to their members. a. free-rider problem; collective benefits b. free-rider problem; selective benefits

free-rider problem; selective benefits

A ________ vote by both houses of Congress and a ratification vote of ________ of the states are required to amend the U.S. Constitution. A. majority; a majority B. two-thirds; three-fourths C. three-fourths; a majority D. three-fourths; three-fourths

B. two-thirds; three-fourths

Which statement best characterizes the influence average citizens and party elites have over the nomination process in the United States? a. Although average citizens have some influence in the nominations process, party elites play an outsized role in selecting the candidates who will compete in the general election. b. Although party elites have some influence in the nominations process, average citizens play an outsized role in selecting the candidates who will compete in the general election. c. Party leaders and average citizens play roughly equal roles in selecting the candidates who will compete in the general election. d. Party leaders are legally prohibited from playing any role in the nominations process.

a. Although average citizens have some influence in the nominations process, party elites play an outsized role in selecting the candidates who will compete in the general election.

Which of the following is a theoretical assumption of pluralism? a. Competition among interests will produce balance, with all interest moderating each other b. Competition among interests will produce extreme public policy, with one interest dominating all others c. only some interest should be free to compete for influence in the United States d. All interest are not equally free to compete for influence in the United States

a. Competition among interests will produce balance, with all interest moderating each other

How was political power in the Continental Congress divided under the Articles of Confederation? a. Each state had an equal vote. b. Each state's votes were proportionate to its population. c. Each state's power depended on its geographic size. d. Each state's power depended on its economic wealth.

a. Each state had an equal vote.

Which of the following statements about primary elections is MOST accurate? a. The United States is one of the few nations in the world to hold primary elections. b. About half of the countries in the world hold primary elections. c. Approximately, three-quarters of the countries in the world hold primary elections. d. Every country in the world holds primary elections.

a. The United States is one of the few nations in the world to hold primary elections.

Which of the following statements about age and political participation is true? a. Young people are far less likely to participate in politics than older people. b. Young people are just as likely to participate in politics as older people. c. Neither young people nor older people participate much in politics. d. Both old people and young people participate in politics at a very high level.

a. Young people are far less likely to participate in politics than older people.

What led British officials to raise taxes on the American colonists during the 1760s? a. deficit that was incurred as a result of the French and Indian War b. the cost of war against Napoleon in Europe c. the expenses incurred in colonizing South Africa d. the extensive roads and canals built by the British in North America

a. a deficit that was incurred as a result of the French and Indian War

Privately owned media companies in the United States earn most of their revenue from a. advertising. b. Subscriptions. c. government grants. d. charitable donations.

a. advertising.

The free-rider phenomenon is a. more problematic in very large groups b. more problematic in very small groups c. not affected in any way by the size of the group in question d. not related to groups in any way because it is an individual-level problem

a. more problematic in very large groups

Political scientists call voters' choices that focus on future behavior ________ voting, while those based on past performances are called ________ voting. a. prospective; retrospective b. retrospective; prospective c. partisan; issue d. issue; partisan

a. prospective; retrospective

The Sierra Club is a(n) ______ group. a. public interest b. ideological c. labor d. business

a. public interest

Which of the following statements about the political opinions of Democrats and Republicans in the public is the most accurate? a. Differences between the political opinions of Democrats and Republicans are smaller today than during any other period in the last 40 years. b. Differences between the political opinions of Democrats and Republicans are greater today than during any other period in the last 40 years. c. The differences between the political opinions of Democrats and Republicans have been the same throughout American history and have not become more intense over the last 40 years. d. Republicans and Democrats have similar opinions on all political issues with the exception of national security.

b. Differences between the political opinions of Democrats and Republicans are greater today than during any other period in the last 40 years.

________ states currently allow voters to register and cast a ballot on the same day. a. Two b. Fifteen c. Thirty-four d. Forty-eight

b. Fifteen

Why was the Declaration of Independence a remarkable philosophical statement for its time? a. It asserted that slavery was a "morally unjust" institution that should be outlawed. b. It asserted that there were "unalienable rights" that could not be abridged by governments. c. It asserted that laissez-faire capitalism would be the "supreme law of the land" in America. d. It asserted that America was "first and foremost, a Christian nation."

b. It asserted that there were "unalienable rights" that could not be abridged by governments.

Which of the following statements best characterizes the traditional news media's relationship to objectivity? a. Given that completely objective reporting is unattainable because people inevitably have biases that shape their understanding of events, journalists do not attempt to be objective and instead report only one side of a story. b. While completely objective reporting is unattainable because people inevitably have biases that shape their understanding of events, journalists attempt to be objective by reporting both sides of a story. c. Journalists are trained to be objective in their reporting, so their personal biases rarely matter and their coverage of events almost always succeeds in objectively presenting both sides of a story. d. The Federal Communications Commission requires that all journalists sign a "pledge of objectivity" before being employed at a media company.

b. While completely objective reporting is unattainable because people inevitably have biases that shape their understanding of events, journalists attempt to be objective by reporting both sides of a story.

Lobbying is a. an attempt by an individual or group to influence the passage of legislation by exerting indirect pressure, through advertisements and media coverage, on members of Congress or a state legislature b. an attempt by an individual or group to influence the passage of legislation by exerting direct pressure on members of Congress or a state legislature

b. an attempt by an individual or group to influence the passage of legislation by exerting direct pressure on members of Congress or a state legislature

The fairness doctrine required that a. all network news reports be balanced and fair-minded or they would be labeled editorials. b. broadcasters who aired controversial issues provide time for opposing viewpoints. c. all regulated newspapers establish a section of the editorial page for letters from readers. d. all broadcasters provide candidates for the same political office with equal opportunities to communicate their messages to the public.

b. broadcasters who aired controversial issues provide time for opposing viewpoints.

The Land Ordinance of 1785 was significant because it a. imposed large tariffs on luxury goods arriving on American lands through East Coast ports. b. established the principles of land surveying and landownership that governed America's westward expansion. c. redistributed the property of British loyalists to small farmers who supported the revolution. d. provided 40 acres of free land to all immigrants from western and northern European countries.

b. established the principles of land surveying and landownership that governed America's westward expansion.

The system of shared powers, divided between a central government and the state governments, is called a. the electoral college. b. federalism. c. checks and balances. d. the separation of powers.

b. federalism

During the 2016 campaign, Hillary Clinton received a. double the amount of media coverage as Donald Trump. b. half the amount of media coverage as Donald Trump. c. 1/10th the amount of media coverage as Donald Trump. d. roughly the same amount of media coverage as Donald Trump.

b. half the amount of media coverage as Donald Trump.

Journalists exhibit selection biases in favor of news stories they view as a. favorable to leaders and issues they support. b. having a great deal of dramatic or entertainment value. c. sympathetic to the government as a whole. d. critical of leaders and issues they oppose.

b. having a great deal of dramatic or entertainment value.

The best description of the ideal of pluralism is that a. the public good should always trump individual interests. b. interest groups should be free to compete for governmental influence. c. interest groups are factions that endanger liberty. d. democracy is best served by legalizing but regulating the influence of interest group

b. interest groups should be free to compete for governmental influence.

The increased number and importance of interest groups a. causes a subsequent expansion in government b. is a response to an increase in the size and activity of government c. is a response to a decrease in the size and activity of the government d. is due to the decline in the US's multiparty system

b. is a response to an increase in the size and activity of government

A criticism of interest group pluralism is a. its inherent propensity for compromise, the character of which to be antidemocratic b. its class bias in favor of those with greater financial resources c. that its ideals are too closely associated with Marxist-Leninist ideology and are therefore unacceptable to the majority of Americans d. that it gives too much influence to religious organizations and therefore threatens the separation of church and state

b. its class bias in favor of those with greater financial resources

James Madison believed that the greatest conflict of interests in the Philadelphia Convention was between ________ and ________. a. large states; small states b. northern states; southern states c. the wealthy; the poor d. Catholics; Protestants

b. northern states; southern states

Political party leaders are a. usually willing to provide financial backing to all candidates running for their party, regardless of whether the candidate has raised funds on their own. b. not willing to provide financial backing to candidates who are unable to raise substantial funds on their own. c. prevented by federal campaign contribution laws from providing financial backing to any candidate. d. only allowed to provide financial backing for candidates that have served at least two terms in elected office.

b. not willing to provide financial backing to candidates who are unable to raise substantial funds on their own.

The "poor" and the homeless are two examples of a. public interest groups b. potential interest groups c. citizen interest groups d. grassroots interest groups

b. potential interest groups

Priming refers to the a. bias that news organizations show toward covering dramatic and entertaining stories. b. process of preparing the public to bring specific criteria to mind when evaluating a politician or issue. c. tendency that people have to seek out news sources that confirm their prior beliefs about politics. d. fact that many important news stories go uncovered by the mainstream media.

b. process of preparing the public to bring specific criteria to mind when evaluating a politician or issue.

It is difficult for political scientists to categorize unrepresented interested because a. there are no constitutional means for unorganized interests to compete for attention b. there are no organizations that can present their identities and demands. c. there are no measurements of interests and needs outside of representation d. there interest often want to stay hidden from public view

b. there are no organizations that can present their identities and demands.

Only one-third of the Senate is up for re-election during any single election year because the framers believed that a. too many elections would be difficult for the states to run. b. this was a way to make the Senate resistant to popular pressure. c. the state legislatures would conspire with each other to elect a Senate dominated by a single party. d. this would make members of the Senate more responsive to the preferences of their constituents.

b. this was a way to make the Senate resistant to popular pressure.

Which of the following statements best describes British rule of the American colonies during the first half of the eighteenth century? a. The British ruled with a heavy hand and exerted a strong influence in every colonial town and city. b. The British ruled with a heavy hand in small towns but exerted no influence at all in the largest cities. c. The British ruled with a light hand and exerted a strong influence only in the largest colonial cities. d. The British ruled with a light hand and exerted almost no influence at all in any colonial town or city.

c. The British ruled with a light hand and exerted a strong influence only in the largest colonial cities.

Which of the following statements best summarizes "contract theory" as spelled out by philosopher Thomas Hobbes? a. The government should be required to return to citizens any excess taxation revenue that is collected in a given year. b. Each citizen should be required to serve in the military for at least two years starting at the age of 18. c. The people of a country voluntarily give up some freedom in exchange for an ordered society. d. Every business should be managed by the government in order to ensure an equitable distribution of wealth.

c. The people of a country voluntarily give up some freedom in exchange for an ordered society.

Which of the following stories would an American news outlet that relies primarily on advertising revenue be LEAST likely to cover? a. a celebrity wedding b. a sex scandal involving a high-ranking government official c. an economics professor providing testimony to a congressional committee on the effect of tariffs d. an attack advertisement from a presidential candidate that accuses her opponent of racially insensitive remarks

c. an economics professor providing testimony to a congressional committee on the effect of tariffs

When Richard Nixon employed his "southern strategy," he a. used the FBI to help collect secrets and blackmail southern Democratic leaders. b. ignored the southern states in favor of voters in the Midwest and Northeast. c. appealed to disaffected white voters in the South. d. appealed to black southerners who had recently mobilized for civil rights.

c. appealed to disaffected white voters in the South.

The Articles of Confederation a. could not be amended. b. could be amended with a simple majority vote of the Congress. c. could be amended only with a unanimous vote of the Congress. d. could be amended only through a national constitutional convention in which three-fourths of state governor's approved of all changes

c. could be amended only with a unanimous vote of the Congress.

What is the MOST important factor in predicting whether an individual votes? a. sexual orientation b. Race c. education level d. religious affiliation

c. education level

When an oil company is invited to participate in negotiations with the Environmental Protection Agency over a proposed rule on offshort drilling, it illustrates that a. the First Amendment to the Constitution only allows corporations to "petition the Government for a redress of grievances." b. Supreme Court decision banning iron triangles have largely failed to limit interest group influence c. federal agencies almost always attempt to consult relevant stakeholders before implementing a new rule d. interest groups no longer attempt to influence representatives in Congress or judges and focus almost all of their attention instead

c. federal agencies almost always attempt to consult relevant stakeholders before implementing a new rule

A person who enjoys the benefits of a group's collective efforts but does not contribute to those efforts is called a a. citizen b. subject c. free rider d. lobbyist

c. free rider

"Selective benefits" are a. government programs that provide tax cuts for people at the top of the income distribution b. government programs that distribute food, housing, or monetary assistance to people who make less than a predetermined amount of money each year c. incentives that interest groups make available only to those people who are members of their organization d. incentives that interest groups distribute to people who do not belong to their organizations in order to win public support for their cases

c. incentives that interest groups make available only to those people who are members of their organization

The decision to give the national government control over interstate commerce and finance was motivated primarily by the framers' desire to a. end slavery in the United States. b. eliminate state and local governments. c. promote economic development and protect property from radical state legislatures. d. guarantee economic equality for all citizens.

c. promote economic development and protect property from radical state legislatures.

Political parties hold primary elections or caucuses in order to a. take nominations for leadership positions within the party. b. vote on the party's platform. c. select a single candidate to represent the party in the general election. d. raise money to spend on the party's preselected candidate for the general election.

c. select a single candidate to represent the party in the general election.

The fact that survey respondents overreport voting in elections and the frequency of their church attendance is an example of the ________ effect. a. Hawthorne b. Coattail c. social desirability d. Bandwagon

c. social desirability

The free-rider problem occurs because a. members of Congress are presented with many opportunities to amend a piece of legislation b. the benefits of a group's actions are available only to a specific segment of society c. the benefits of a group's actions are broadly available and cannot be denied to nonmembers

c. the benefits of a group's actions are broadly available and cannot be denied to nonmembers

What is the social desirability effect? a. the bias in surveys that comes from the failure of pollsters to interview respondents from lower socioeconomic backgrounds b. the strong desire that people have to express their opinions to survey researchers c. the fact that respondents report what they think the interviewer wishes to hear or whatever they think is socially acceptable, rather than what they actually believe d. the impression conveyed by polls that something is important to the public when actually it is not

c. the fact that respondents report what they think the interviewer wishes to hear or whatever they think is socially acceptable, rather than what they actually believe

Bicameralism is a constitutional principle that represents the division of a. the national government into two branches. b. the powers of the executive branch between two individuals: the president and the vice president. c. the legislature into two chambers. d. the federal court system into two levels: the Supreme Court and the appellate courts.

c. the legislature into two chambers.

Pollsters use random digit dialing to gather national samples for surveys because a. sampling errors are typically too low when other techniques are used. b. sampling errors are typically too high when other techniques are used. c. there is not a complete list of all Americans that can be used to identify the population. d. it is the only method that generates high levels of measurement error.

c. there is not a complete list of all Americans that can be used to identify the population.

Why was the Declaration of Independence a remarkable political statement for its time? a. It convinced southern states to abolish slavery. b. It persuaded the British government to give back all of the tax revenue it had collected from the colonies. c. It ended the Revolutionary War by offering a compromise with the British government. d. It helped unify colonial groups that were divided along economic, regional, and philosophical lines by identifying shared problems, grievances, and principles.

d. It helped unify colonial groups that were divided along economic, regional, and philosophical lines by identifying shared problems, grievances, and principles.

Primary elections were introduced by a. the Federalists in the late eighteenth century. b. the Democrats in the 1830s. c. the Republicans in the 1870s. d. Progressive reformers at the start of the 1900s.

d. Progressive reformers at the start of the 1900s.

Which of the following statements about national defense under the Articles of Confederation is FALSE? a. Congress was given the power to declare war. b. Congress was given the power to make treaties and form alliances with other countries. c. The nation's armed forces were composed entirely of the state militias. d. The president served as commander in chief of the nation's armed forces.

d. The president served as commander in chief of the nation's armed forces.

It is likely that eliminating state-level voter registration laws would ________ voter turnout among ________. a. decrease; younger people b. decrease; older people c. decrease; all voters d. increase; younger people

d. increase; younger people

The Articles of Confederation were concerned primarily with a. creating a unitary form of government. b. creating a federal form of government. c. creating a government in which the states were largely subservient to the national government. d. limiting the powers of the central government.

d. limiting the powers of the central government.

In order for a survey accurately generalize to the entire population, the survey must a. sample at least 10 percent of the target population. b. sample at least 25 percent of the target population. c. sample at least 10,000 individuals from the target population. d. select respondents randomly and everyone in the target population must have an equal chance of being selected.

d. select respondents randomly and everyone in the target population must have an equal chance of being selected.