Chpt 12: Interest Groups and Civic and Political Engagement

Gaining access

winning the opportunity to communicate directly with a legislator or a legislative staff member to present one's position on an issue of public policy

Which of the following is an example of trade association?

American Medical Association

Interest group

a group of like-minded individuals who band together to influence public policy, public opinion, or government officials

Single-Issue Interest group

a group that is interested primarily in one area of public policy such as the EDF found in 1967 to solve critical environmental problems facing the global community

How do interest groups reflect a bias in representation?

activists and financial contributors are generally drawn from elites

Outside lobbying or grassroots lobbying

activities directed at the general public to raise awareness and interest and to pressure officials

Advertorials

advertisements presented as editorials

Which of the following best demonstrates a method that uses the media to engage in grassroots lobbying?

advertorials

Inside Lobbying

appealing directly to lawmakers and legislative staff either in meetings by providing research and information or by testifying at committee hearings

Solidary benefits

benefits derived from fellowship and camaraderie with other members

Selective Benefits

benefits provided only to members of an organization or group

Material Benefits

benefits that have concrete value or worth

Cleavage

division among people based on at least one social characteristic such as educational attainment or race

Egalitarianism

doctrine of equality that ignores differences in social status, wealth and privilege

Direct contact

face to face meetings or telephone conversations between individuals

Public Goods or Collective Goods

goods, such as clean water, public roads, and community libraries, that are used or consumed by all individuals in society

Think tank

group of individuals who conduct research in a particular subject or a particular area of public policy

Multi-issue interest group

group that is interested in pursuing a broad range public policy issues such as AARP which promotes a wide variety of public policies that impact older Americans

Direct Mail

information mailed to a large number of people to advertise, market concepts or solicit support

Purposive Benefits

intangible rewards people obtain from joining a group they support and working to advance an issue in which they believe

Why might US citizens choose to join interest groups rather than just exercising their right to vote?

interest groups offer a means to extend an individuals political power by joining with other like-minded individuals

Disturbance theory

the idea that interest groups form when resources become scarce in order to contest the influence of other interest groups

What kinds of interest groups are most likely to use public events and protests in order to draw attention to their campaigns?

labor unions and public interest groups

Which of the following is true of lower income citizens?

lower income citizens have strong incentives to change the political system but often lack the time and money needed to become heavily involved

Unlike more traditional tactics, online activism...

may discourage real activism as it provides an illusion of being more involved than one actually is

Professional Association

organization that represents individuals, largely educated and affluent in one particular occupational category

Patrons

organizations or individuals that contribute money to political leaders or political groups

Alexis de Tocqueville's research and writing about America in 1825 pointed out what?

the importance of collective action in our society

Free rider problem

the fact that public goods can be enjoyed by everyone, including people who do not pay their fair share of the cost for providing those goods

How does the American constitutional system encourage the participation of interest groups?

the many state and federal officials and political candidates provide many opportunities for interest groups

An example of the free-rider problem is?

the tendency to allow others to do work on ones behalf

How does the diversity of our nation affect the existence of interest groups?

the variety of groups present in society thrive for influence, hence exist to represent these competing demands for influence

Which of the following is an example or direct lobbying?

trying to influence government officials to support a particular policy decision