Deck 3: Theories of International Decision Making

Question 1

Policy agenda are t he unintended side effects resulting from choices, such as inflation from runaway government spending, that are not taken into account at the time of the decision.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

The history-making individual's model analyzes foreign policy at the state level.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Political efficacy refers to a person's belief in his or her own ability to make effective rational choices.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

National leaders often describe their foreign-policy-making process as neat, orderly, and rational.

Question 5

The more economically developed a state is, the more likely it is to remain  isolationist and to seek to avoid getting involved in disputes outside of its borders.

Question 6

Complete information regarding the nature of the problem, possible solutions, and projected goals is an essential component of rational decision making.

Question 7

The majority of political scientists consider global conditions to be the most significant of the three categories of influence.

Question 8

It is fairly simple to determine which single category explains foreign policy decisions.

Question 9

A national crisis is a potent circumstance that increases a leader's control over foreign policy making.

Question 10

An example of an externality, or unintended consequence, might be deforestation that results from a timber agreement between Canada and the United States.

Question 11

Robert Putnam's analogy of a two-level game states that policy makers must consider both the domestic factors in formulating foreign policy and the impact of foreign policy on domestic constituencies.

Question 12

In general, people tend to prefer change, progress, and uncertainty to the "status quo."

Question 13

A description of policy making that sees foreign policy choices based on bargaining and compromises among competing government agencies is called the bureaucratic politics model.

Question 14

One of the key factors in deciding the direction of global politics has been the rise in "bureaucratic politics."

Question 15

Poliheuristic theory is a  decision-making theory that accounts for process and outcome of decisions through a two-stage analytic model that incorporates cognitive approaches with rational choice expectations.

Question 16

Rational choice theory states that actors will always make the smartest decisions that seems to make the most sense to an outside observer.

Question 17

The degree with which nations cluster around the powerful nations is known as polarization.

Question 18

Game theory is the use of hypothetical situations to help determine standard operating procedures.

Question 19

Realism assumes that foreign policy making consists primarily of an international actor adjusting to the pressures of an anarchical global system whose essential properties do not vary.

Question 20

The bureaucratic decision-making process produces an optimal outcome because it increases efficiency and rationality by assigning responsibility for different tasks to different people.

Question 21

The study of how people perceive and misperceive risks is known as _____.

A) priority theory
B) satisficing theory
C) game theory
D) prospect theory

Question 22

How did Presidents Kennedy and Nixon differ in their responses to political protesters?

A) Kennedy attempted to shut down protests; Nixon encouraged them.
B) Kennedy changed his policies based on protests; Nixon refused to change.
C) Kennedy and Nixon both reacted rationally to protests.
D) Kennedy saw protesters as an opportunity; Nixon saw them as a threat.

Question 23

The Cuban Missile Crisis is an example of

A) how organizational choice can compromise rational choice.
B) bureaucratic politics.
C) the formation of temporary alliances called policy networks.
D) all of the these.

Question 24

Which of the following impacts a leader's ability to shape foreign policy?

A) Whether a leader is early or late in their tenure
B) When a dramatic event precedes his or her election
C) A leader's belief in his or her own ability to effectively make rational choices
D) All of these are true.

Question 25

In a realist world, states are considered to be "unitary actors."  What does this mean?

A) States are assumed to be internally united without multiple decision makers at the domestic level.
B) States can only have one foreign policy strategy.
C) States behave in a linear fashion with a clearly observable chain of events that leads to policy.
D) States do not reveal their true preferences; they prefer to put on an act on the international stage.

Question 26

Which of the following is NOT one of the levels of analysis used in analyzing policy making?

A) Individual
B) Internal/Domestic
C) Transnational
D) Global

Question 27

According to the concept zeitgeist,

A) men and women are genetically different.
B) great men are the sole determinants of foreign policy events.
C) the spirit of the times or the dominant cultural norms influence behavior.
D) Gorbachev engineered the revolutionary, system transforming changes in the USSR.

Question 28

Bureaucracies are beneficial because they

A) divide authority to avoid duplication.
B) define rules on how tasks are to be performed.
C) define standard operating procedures.
D) All of these are reasons that bureaucracies are beneficial.

Question 29

Robert Putnam's "two-level games" idea modeled a world in which.

A) political leaders play a game with international organizations as well as with other leaders.
B) policy makers can easily ensure that the demands of internal and global politics are compatible.
C) states must formulate policies both to satisfy domestic groups and to maximize their foreign goals.
D) players must be familiar with the rules of both chess and checkers.

Question 30

Which of the following is a true statement about rationality as defined by the text?

A) Rationality involves weighing goals and considering all options.
B) Individuals may disagree about what is rational in a given situation.
C) Rationality requires that all facts be gathered and all problems be objectively defined.
D) All of these are true.

Question 31

Which of the following is NOT one of the steps of the decision-making process under rational choice?

A) Identification of alternatives
B) Problem recognition and definition
C) Goal selection
D) All of these are steps in the decision-making process.

Question 32

How can understanding a leader's personality help us predict how he or she will choose to deal with uncertainty in policy decision making?

A) Personality influences the options a leader sees as acceptable in a particular situation.
B) It can demonstrate that individuals who are introverted and highly conscientious prefer to accept high levels of risk.
C) Personality is a factor that is correlated with bureaucratic success.
D) It can explain why leaders always make choices that are productive and rational.

Question 33

Standard operating procedures (SOPs) help make bureaucracies more efficient by

A) facilitating groupthink.
B) providing methods to be followed in carrying out tasks once a decision is made.
C) preventing rivalries among bureaucratic agencies.
D) All of the above are true.

Question 34

The interpretation of world politics that perceives world leaders as the people who change the course of history is known as the

A) rational choice model.
B) history-making individuals model.
C) visionary model.
D) leaders of the free world model.

Question 35

The propensity for members of a group to accept and agree with the group's prevailing attitudes is called

A) the history-making individuals model.
B) part of the rational actor model.
C) groupthink.
D) part of the liberal actor model.

Question 36

A policy maker's belief in his or her own ability to control political events is known as _____.

A) satisficing
B) pluralism
C) chauvinism
D) political efficacy

Question 37

How does an individual's susceptibility to cognitive dissonance affect their decision-making capability?

A) Leaders are likely to become confused by multiple sources of conflicting information.
B) Individuals may be prone to block out dissonant, or inconsistent, information and perceptions about their preferred choice.
C) Those who consider themselves "political experts" tend to make the wisest and most consistent decisions.
D) Snap judgments are typically just as good as decisions made cautiously and deliberately.

Question 38

The concept that more rational decisions are reached in a group that allows differing opinions to be heard and rival options to receive critical evaluation is known as

A) groupthink.
B) multiple advocacy.
C) game theory.
D) rationality.

Question 39

Differing opinions between key advisors

A) can be beneficial because it forces a more thorough examination of reasons and alternatives.
B) rarely occur.
C) usually leads to security dilemmas.
D) All of these are true.

Question 40

Rational decision making can be impeded by which of the following?

A) Short deadlines
B) Ambiguity of international situations
C) The group context in which national decision making typically occurs
D) All of the above are true.

Question 41

There are numerous constraints on the foreign-policy-making process. What are they? Which are the most important? Give an example of when they adversely affected foreign policy.

Question 42

How can military capacity shape foreign policy priorities?

A) Military strategy leads to security dilemmas.
B) The smallest countries with minimal military power can coerce other states to behave differently.
C) Military capabilities can limit the range of prudent policy choices, constraining states that cannot easily use force.
D) States with robust militaries tend to be less economically and industrially advanced, changing their foreign policy goals.

Question 43

Rational choice theory states that individuals will make decisions guided by defining situations, weighing alternatives, and selecting the option that is most likely to achieve the highest goal for that individual.  Based on this definition, could a suicide bomber be behaving rationally?  Why or why not?

Question 44

A state's attributes refers to

A) the state's characteristics that shape foreign policy behavior such as size, wealth, and type of government.
B) the relationship that states have with neighboring states.
C) how involved the state is with international organizations.
D) its nuclear capabilities.

Question 45

Some scholars argue that states are unitary actors with a single foreign policy output, while others argue that states are made up of many decision makers at the domestic level and cannot act unilaterally.  Explain both points of view.  Which do you agree with most? Why?

Question 46

The type of government a country possesses is often thought to influence foreign policy. According to those who subscribe to this view, whether a country is democratic or autocratic will have a bearing on how policy is made and, in turn, on the kind of policy that results. What are the consequences of different types of government for the formulation and conduct of foreign policy?

Question 47

Which of the following is NOT true of democratic societies and foreign policy decision making?

A) Public opinion and interest groups matter.
B) They are slow to move on foreign policy issues.
C) They always overreact to perceived threats once they are recognized.
D) They make decisions rapidly when considering foreign policy options.

Question 48

The geography and natural resources of a state may have a significant influence on its foreign policy-making.  Think about the geographical characteristics of Switzerland, a small country surrounded by mountains, and Russia, which is expansive and resource-rich.  How might these characteristics affect the way these two countries interact with the rest of the world?

Question 49

What is the theory of geopolitics?

A) The focus on the isolationist and neutral policies of Switzerland
B) The idea that states' foreign policies are determined by their location, natural resources, and physical environment
C) The study of the locations of major international organizations headquarters
D) The theory that states with large supplies of natural resources will be more likely to experience corruption

Question 50

Variables that affect foreign policy choices include

A) geostrategic location.
B) military might.
C) economic prowess.
D) All of these.