Question 1

When does groupthink occur?

Accepted Answer

The answer of When does groupthink occur?
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Question 2

British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain made a major mistake when he followed a policy of appeasement toward Hitler. Why did Chamberlain follow the strategy of appeasement?

Accepted Answer

Chamberlain thought that by giving in to some of Hitler's demands, it would prevent further aggression and maintain peace in Europe. This approach was based on the belief that Hitler's territorial ambitions could be satisfied through negotiation and concession.

Question 3

What was the ultimate goal of the Schlieffen Plan?

Accepted Answer

The Schlieffen Plan was a strategic plan devised by Germany to avoid a two-front war by quickly defeating France before Russia could fully mobilize its forces, during the early 20th century, particularly in the context of World War I.

Question 4

What did the Powell Doctrine, which was created during the Bush Administration, entail?

Accepted Answer

The Powell Doctrine advocated for clear objectives and the use of overwhelming force to achieve military goals, ensuring a decisive victory.

Question 5

The bureaucratic politics model emphasizes interaction between agencies; what does the organizational process model focuses on?

Accepted Answer

The organizational process model emphasizes the standard operating procedures and processes within bureaucracies that guide decision-making, rather than focusing on the outcomes, costs and benefits, or inputs of decisions.

Question 6

Which of the following did not imperil the Schlieffen Plan?

Accepted Answer

The Schlieffen Plan was primarily imperiled by factors such as Belgian resistance (B), rapid British reinforcement (C), and a quicker-than-expected Russian mobilization on the Eastern Front (D). Russia's winter conditions (A) did not directly impact the execution of the Schlieffen Plan, which was a strategy for a quick German victory in the west before turning to the east.

Question 7

What does the organizational process model do?

Accepted Answer

The organizational process model examines the internal processes within organizations, including how decisions are made and problems are solved, rather than focusing on competition for resources or assuming a purely rational model of decision-making.

Question 8

When people look at actors they mistrust, they are likely to justify negative behavior to bad intensions; this concept is known as which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The concept is known as fundamental attribution bias, which refers to the tendency for people to attribute others' actions to their character or personality, while attributing their own behaviors to external factors. When viewing actors they mistrust, individuals are more likely to attribute negative behavior to the actor's bad intentions rather than situational factors.

Question 9

What recent events shows the inability of bureaucracies to escape the control of the head of government?

Accepted Answer

President Obama's firing of General McChrystal is a recent event that illustrates the inability of bureaucracies, including the military, to escape the control of the head of government. McChrystal was relieved of his duties after making disparaging comments about members of the Obama administration, demonstrating the president's ultimate authority over military leaders.

Question 10

When a leader makes a decision that is imperfectly rational, what is the concept called?

Accepted Answer

Bounded rationality refers to the concept that in decision-making, the rationality of individuals is limited by the information they have, the cognitive limitations of their minds, and the finite amount of time they have to make a decision.

Question 11

Where do many analysts believe that groupthink took place?

Accepted Answer

Many analysts believe that groupthink occurred during the decision-making process prior to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, where critical dissenting opinions were suppressed, leading to a consensus that was not adequately challenged.

Question 12

The groupthink process undermines one of the most important requirements of rational decision making; what is this requirement?

Accepted Answer

Groupthink undermines rational decision making by compromising the fair and even-handed analysis of all options, as it pressures individuals to conform to group consensus, often at the expense of critical evaluation.

Question 13

What are standard operating procedures?

Accepted Answer

Standard operating procedures are established methods for how organizations consistently respond to particular issues or situations, ensuring uniformity and efficiency in their operations.

Question 14

There are three major factors that explain groupthink decision making. What is one of these factors?

Accepted Answer

Groupthink occurs when reaching consensus becomes more important than critically evaluating decisions, leading to poor decision-making outcomes.

Question 15

When is the organizational process model weakest?

Accepted Answer

The organizational process model is weakest when agencies must undertake tasks that are outside their normal set of rules and procedures, as it relies on standard operating procedures to make decisions.

Question 16

What is one example during which the "lesson of Munich" has been used?

Accepted Answer

The "lesson of Munich" refers to the dangers of appeasement, as exemplified by British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain's policy towards Hitler's Germany, which failed to prevent World War II. This lesson was invoked by President Truman as a justification for the U.S. military response to North Korea's invasion of South Korea, to avoid the mistakes of appeasement and take a firm stand against aggression.

Question 17

When does unmotivated bias result?

Accepted Answer

Unmotivated bias arises due to the cognitive shortcuts and simplifications our brains use to process complex or ambiguous information, not necessarily because of emotional needs, personal stakes, or a thorough analysis of costs and benefits.

Question 18

What does prospect theory assert?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What does prospect theory assert?
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Question 19

Which of the following is one of the biggest critiques of the bureaucratic politics model?

Accepted Answer

The bureaucratic politics model often faces criticism because there are numerous instances where bureaucracies have supported policies that contradict the predictions of this model, indicating its limitations in accurately forecasting bureaucratic behavior and decisions.

Question 20

What does attribution theory posit?

Accepted Answer

Attribution theory suggests that individuals act as "naïve scientists" trying to understand and explain the behavior of others by attributing causes to that behavior, essentially making sense of the complex social world around them.

Quiz 6: Bureaucracies, Groups, and Individuals in the Foreign Policy Process