Question 1

Which of the following best describes a people who are scattered over the territory of several states or dispersed widely and who have no autonomous, independent, or sovereign governing body of their own?
A) Multinational state
B) Stateless nation
C) Nation state
D) Sovereign nation
E) None of these choices is correct.

Accepted Answer

A stateless nation refers to an ethnic group or nation that does not possess its own state and is not the majority population in any nation state. This term accurately describes a people who are scattered or dispersed without a sovereign governing body of their own.

Question 2

Which subfield would involve a political scientist who would specialize in how a bureaucracy implements governmental policies?
A) Political theory
B) U.S. government
C) Comparative politics
D) International relations
E) Public administration

Accepted Answer

Public administration is the subfield of political science that focuses on how governmental policies are implemented by bureaucracies and the management of public agencies.

Question 3

Which theory holds that individuals and states alike act according to the iron logic of self-interest?
A) Normative theory
B) Behavioral theory
C) Rational choice theory
D) Political realism theory
E) Political culture

Accepted Answer

Rational choice theory holds that individuals and states alike act according to the iron logic of self-interest.

Question 4

When political scientists studied whether Democrats or Republicans fare best during high voter turn-outs, they discovered that since 1964
A) Democrats always do better when turn-outs are high.
B) Republicans tend to win more elections when turn-outs are high.
C) there has been more ticket-splitting.
D) the number of Independent voters has increased.
E) there has been both more ticket-splitting and more Independent voters.

Accepted Answer

Since 1964, political trends have shown both an increase in ticket-splitting, where voters choose candidates from different parties for different offices within the same election, and a rise in the number of Independent voters, who do not align strictly with either major political party. These phenomena reflect a diversification in voting behavior beyond simple party loyalty.

Question 5

Studying the voting patterns of males in Senate elections would fall under which subfield?
A) Political theory
B) International relations
C) Comparative politics
D) U.S. government
E) Public administration

Accepted Answer

Studying the voting patterns of males in Senate elections is specifically related to the political processes and behaviors within the United States, making it a topic within the subfield of U.S. government.

Question 6

The term "swing voter" refers to
A) people who vote for some Democrat and some Republican candidates in a given election.
B) people who remain undecided about candidates right up until election day.
C) people who may vote Democrat in one year's election and Republican in another.
D) those who remain undecided until election day, but then divide their votes between the two major party candidates.
E) None of these choices is correct.

Accepted Answer

Swing voters are those who do not have consistent loyalty to a single political party and may vote for different parties in different elections.

Question 7

According to the text, which of the following is the "father" of political science?
A) Aristotle
B) Plato
C) Jean-Jacques Rousseau
D) John Locke
E) Socrates

Accepted Answer

Aristotle is often referred to as the "father of political science" due to his extensive work on the subject, including his analysis of various political systems in his work "Politics."

Question 8

Political scientists employing the behavioral approach tend to
A) concentrate on broad questions.
B) avoid moral and philosophical analysis.
C) reject the application of the scientific method to political science.
D) draw heavily on the work of ancient political theorists.
E) use dependency theory.

Accepted Answer

Behavioral political scientists focus on empirical data and observable behavior, avoiding normative judgments and philosophical analysis, which distinguishes their approach from traditional political theory.

Question 9

"The moral values, beliefs, and myths by which people live and for which they are willing to die" is known as
A) political culture.
B) political realism.
C) rational choice.
D) behaviorism.
E) None of these choices is correct.

Accepted Answer

Political culture refers to the deeply held moral values, beliefs, and myths that shape how people view their political system and by which they justify their actions within it, including the extremes they might go to, such as sacrificing their lives.

Question 10

Political scientists who study similarities and differences in legislative processes across countries would be working in which subfield?
A) Political theory
B) U.S. government
C) Comparative politics
D) International relations
E) Public administration

Accepted Answer

Comparative politics is the subfield of political science that involves comparing political systems, institutions, processes, and behaviors across different countries to understand their similarities and differences. This includes studying legislative processes in various countries.

Question 11

A specialist in international relations would likely NOT focus on
A) conflict and cooperation.
B) terrorism.
C) trade policy.
D) the definition of the "good life."
E) both trade policy and the definition of the "good life."

Accepted Answer

Specialists in international relations typically focus on topics directly related to the interactions between nations, such as conflict, cooperation, terrorism, and trade policy. The definition of the "good life" is more closely related to philosophy or ethics than to the field of international relations.

Question 12

According to a recent issue of The Economist, what is the strongest force shaping politics today?
A) Ideas
B) Behavior
C) Money
D) Force
E) Terrorism

Accepted Answer

Ideas are considered the strongest force shaping politics today, as they influence beliefs, policies, and the direction of political movements.

Question 13

After which of these events did polyglot states emerge in which various ethnic or tribal groups were not assimilated into the new social order?
A) Decolonization
B) The Peace of Westphalia
C) The end of WWI
D) The American Revolution
E) None of these choices is correct.

Accepted Answer

Decolonization led to the emergence of polyglot states, as former colonies, often with arbitrary borders drawn by colonial powers, gained independence. These new nations encompassed diverse ethnic and tribal groups that were not fully assimilated into a single national identity.

Question 14

How do political theorists try to answer questions?
A) By using rational choice theory
B) By studying political culture
C) By applying reason, logic, and dialogue
D) Both A and C
E) None of these choices is correct.

Accepted Answer

Political theorists typically use reason, logic, and dialogue to explore and answer questions about political concepts and systems.

Quiz 1: Introduction: The Study of Politics

Which of the following best describes a people who are scattered over the territory of several states or dispersed widely and who have no autonomous, independent, or sovereign governing body of their own?

Which subfield would involve a political scientist who would specialize in how a bureaucracy implements governmental policies?

Which theory holds that individuals and states alike act according to the iron logic of self-interest?

When political scientists studied whether Democrats or Republicans fare best during high voter turn-outs, they discovered that since 1964

Studying the voting patterns of males in Senate elections would fall under which subfield?

The term "swing voter" refers to

According to the text, which of the following is the "father" of political science?

Political scientists employing the behavioral approach tend to

"The moral values, beliefs, and myths by which people live and for which they are willing to die" is known as

Political scientists who study similarities and differences in legislative processes across countries would be working in which subfield?

A specialist in international relations would likely NOT focus on

According to a recent issue of The Economist, what is the strongest force shaping politics today?

After which of these events did polyglot states emerge in which various ethnic or tribal groups were not assimilated into the new social order?

How do political theorists try to answer questions?