Question 1

A collection of groups come together and develop a platform of political goals.They are driven to act together because they lack access to conventional means of political participation.Because they are disadvantaged and excluded from conventional politics,they choose to use tactics that may draw public attention to their issues.How is this most easily defined?

Accepted Answer

The scenario described most closely aligns with the definition of a social movement. A social movement is a collective effort by a group of people with a common goal or ideology to bring about social, political, or cultural change. These groups often lack access to conventional means of political participation and may use tactics such as protests or civil disobedience to draw attention to their issues.

Question 2

Which dilemma is evident in the difficulties that arise in enticing individuals who may benefit from an interest group's work to provide financial support for that organization?

Accepted Answer

The collective-action problem is evident in this situation because individuals may be hesitant to contribute financially to an interest group's work if they do not see immediate personal benefits, or if they believe that others will contribute instead. This leads to a situation where the group may have difficulty raising the necessary funds to achieve their goals.

Question 3

The civil rights movement is best characterized as a ____________________ rather than an interest group because of the involvement of many different organizations and the use of unconventional forms of political activism to engage individuals who had been excluded from normal political processes.

Accepted Answer

The civil rights movement involved numerous organizations working towards a common goal of ending discrimination and securing equal rights for African Americans. It utilized unconventional forms of political activism such as sit-ins, protests, and boycotts to engage individuals who had been excluded from normal political processes. These characteristics make the civil rights movement best characterized as a social movement rather than a political party, corporation, social network, or political machine.

Question 4

Lobbying is directed primarily toward ____________________.

Accepted Answer

Lobbying is primarily directed toward the president and Congress because these branches of government have the power to enact, modify, or repeal legislation, and elected officials often find it beneficial to respond to the interests of their constituents, including interest groups.

Question 5

A bill requiring the auto industry to meet stricter emission standards is set to come before Congress.Many groups are invested in its outcome-environmental interest groups,auto manufacturers,labor unions,mechanics,environmental scientists,oil companies,and others.How are the groups representing these interests likely to behave?

Accepted Answer

These groups have different interests and goals regarding the bill, so they are likely to compete to get the most attention from lawmakers to influence the bill's outcome in their favor.

Question 6

Which is a concern shared by a group of people on which they have not yet chosen to act?

Accepted Answer

A latent interest is a concern that a group of people shares but has not yet acted upon. The other answer choices do not accurately describe this concept.

Question 7

A social movement might be considered successful if it ____________________.

Accepted Answer

A successful social movement should be able to mobilize people into participating and bring about policy change. While changing cultural norms and political institutions or shaping political agendas may be important goals, their success ultimately depends on the ability of the movement to achieve concrete policy outcomes.

Question 8

The women's suffrage movement,the civil rights movement,and the Tea Party movement are examples of ____________________.

Accepted Answer

Social movements are collective, organized efforts aimed at bringing about social or political change. The women's suffrage movement, the civil rights movement, and the Tea Party movement were all social movements that sought to bring about change in society or government policies. Interest groups, political parties, and corporatism are all related to the functioning of government and politics, but they do not necessarily involve the same kind of grassroots mobilization and activism as social movements. Social networks may be a part of social movements, but they are not the defining characteristic of such movements.

Question 9

If the National Rifle Association began to nominate its own candidates to run for public offices,rather than endorsing or supporting external candidates,it would cease to be a/an ____________________ and become a/an ____________________.

Accepted Answer

An interest group is an organization that seeks to influence public policy but does not field its own candidates for office. By nominating its own candidates, the NRA would be transforming from an interest group into a political party.

Question 10

An interest group sends a representative to the office of a member of Congress to convince her to support its position on pending legislation.What is this called?

Accepted Answer

This is called lobbying, which is the practice of attempting to influence government decisions, especially legislation, by exerting pressure on elected officials or other policymakers.

Question 11

Many residents of Detroit are employed by automobile manufacturers.When those companies almost dissolved in the financial crisis of the 2000s,residents' interest in the political treatment of automobile manufacturers may have gone from ____________________ to ____________________.

Accepted Answer

The financial crisis of the 2000s threatened the dissolution of automobile manufacturers, which likely heightened Detroit residents' concern and interest in how these companies were treated politically, moving from a potentially dormant (latent) state to a more visible and engaged (active) state.

Question 12

Tiffany supports the policy objectives of the National Rifle Association (NRA),but she has not actually joined the organization because she knows that her small membership fee will not make much of a difference in whether the organization succeeds or fails in its mission.Tiffany's thinking is indicative of a/an ____________________.

Accepted Answer

Tiffany's reasoning demonstrates a collective-action problem, which occurs when individuals refrain from taking action for the common good because they do not see their individual contributions as making enough of a difference. The small membership fee that Tiffany would pay to join the NRA is unlikely to be perceived as making a significant impact on the organization's success or failure, leading to her decision not to join.

Question 13

Which is an attempt to influence public officials by speaking to them directly or by pressuring them through their constituents?

Accepted Answer

Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence public officials, usually by speaking to them directly or by pressuring them through their constituents. Legislating refers to the process of creating or passing laws, brokering refers to the act of negotiating agreements between different parties, wheeling refers to the practice of engaging in political maneuvering or deal-making, and pandering refers to the act of making exaggerated or insincere claims or promises in order to win favor with voters.

Question 14

What is the primary distinction between an interest group and a political party?

Accepted Answer

The primary distinction between an interest group and a political party is that interest groups do not seek positions of power in government while political parties are interested in gaining control of the government by winning elections and securing positions of authority. Interest groups focus on promoting policies and advancing the interests of their members, while political parties have a broader agenda and seek to appeal to a wide range of voters. Interest groups may support political candidates and advocate on their behalf, but they do not seek to directly control or influence the government.

Question 15

According to the resource mobilization perspective,the Civil Rights Movement succeeded in part because it was able to ____________________.

Accepted Answer

The resource mobilization perspective emphasizes the importance of pre-existing networks and organizations in successful social movements. In the case of the Civil Rights Movement, student organizations and churches played a crucial role in mobilizing their members for political action and providing a base of support for the movement.

Question 16

What type of interest group attempts to influence policies in ways that do not selectively or materially benefit its members?

Accepted Answer

Public interest groups work towards policies that benefit the general public or society as a whole, rather than just their own members. They advocate for issues such as environmental protection, public health, and civil rights that can benefit everyone.

Question 17

Calista is an enthusiastic gun owner and a supporter of extensive gun ownership rights.Yet,she is not a member of the National Rifle Association or any other interest groups that lobbies for the rights of gun owners.Calista is ____________________ the efforts of the NRA and other pro-gun interest groups and their members.

Accepted Answer

By being a gun owner and supporter of gun ownership rights but not being a member of any interest groups that lobby for those rights, Calista is benefiting from the efforts of those groups without contributing to them, which is known as free riding.

Question 18

Which of the following is NOT an activity an interest group would undertake?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is NOT an...

Question 19

A/an ____________________ is a loose organization of groups with common goals that are oriented toward using mass action to influence the government.

Accepted Answer

A social movement is a loose organization of groups with common goals that are oriented toward using mass action to influence the government. Interest groups, political parties, and collective action networks are all forms of organized political participation, but they are not necessarily oriented exclusively toward using mass action to influence the government in the same way that social movements are. Social networks are generally more focused on personal connections and communication rather than political action.

Question 20

The civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s is the quintessential example of a/an ____________________.

Accepted Answer

The civil rights movement is best described as a social movement, which involves a large group of people advocating for social change and equality.

Quiz 11: Interest Groups and Social Movements