Question 1

The resource mobilization perspective suggests that a social movement's success or failure hinges on its ability to _________________.

Accepted Answer

The resource mobilization perspective emphasizes the importance of a social movement's ability to mobilize resources, such as money, people, and expertise, in order to achieve its goals.

Question 2

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 or issue that a group of people have, but they have not yet taken any action on. It is a potential area of concern that could become more significant if it is not addressed.

Question 3

Lobbying is directed primarily toward ________.

Accepted Answer

Lobbying is primarily directed toward the legislative and executive branches of government, with the goal of influencing policy decisions and gaining political support for the interests of the lobbying group. Both the president and Congress are important targets for lobbying efforts, as they have significant power to shape the policy agenda and enact legislation that can benefit interest groups. While courts and bureaucrats can also be targeted for lobbying, they are generally seen as secondary targets compared to the elected branches of government.

Question 4

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

Accepted Answer

The civil rights movement was a social movement because it was a collective effort by a large number of people who were committed to achieving a common goal, which was to end racial segregation and discrimination in the United States. It involved diverse groups of people, including African Americans, whites, and other minorities, who came together to pursue political, social, and economic equality. Social movements are distinct from interest groups, which represent specific policy interests, and collective action networks, which are less formal and organized than social movements. They are also different from political parties, which seek to elect candidates to office and promote specific policy agendas.

Question 5

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

Accepted Answer

These movements are all examples of social movements, which are collective efforts by a group of people to bring about social or political change. Social movements often focus on issues of inequality, injustice, or representation and seek to mobilize public support and pressure political institutions to address their concerns. Interest groups are similar in that they also seek to influence political decision-making, but they typically have narrower agendas and are more focused on lobbying specific elected officials or government agencies. Political parties are organizations that seek to win elections and hold power, and while they may align with social movements or interest groups on certain issues, they have a broader scope of activity. Corporatism refers to a system in which business interests and other interest groups are formally incorporated into the decision-making process of the state, and is not directly related to social movements, interest groups, or political parties. Social networks are a means of communication and organization that can be used by social movements, but are not synonymous with them.

Question 6

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

Accepted Answer

A public interest group aims to promote policies that benefit society as a whole, rather than just their members. This can include advocating for environmental protection, consumer rights, civil liberties, and other issues that impact the public in general. Public interest groups are often formed by citizens who are concerned about a particular issue and do not have a direct financial stake in the outcome.

Question 7

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

Accepted Answer

Social movements are loose organizations with common goals that use mass action to influence the government. Interest groups and lobbying groups also seek to influence the government but are more structured and focused on specific policy issues. Political parties are organized groups that nominate candidates for office and seek to control the government. Social networks are online platforms for connecting with other individuals and sharing information.

Question 8

A collection of groups come together and develop a platform of political goals. The groups 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 describes a collection of groups coming together to develop a platform of political goals and using tactics to draw public attention to their issues, indicating that they are a social movement. Social movements are typically driven by disadvantaged or excluded groups who are seeking political change through collective action outside of formal political institutions. This distinguishes them from interest groups, which generally work within the existing political system to influence policy. Protest movements and collective action are tactics associated with social movements but are not comprehensive enough to define the group's purpose. Public interest groups are also not an appropriate choice, as they typically work within the existing political system but advocate for policies that serve the public good.

Question 9

The Black Lives Matter movement relied on many existing resources to establish new chapters around the country. Which of the following helps explain the success of this social movement?

Accepted Answer

The resource mobilization perspective emphasizes the importance of pre-existing resources such as money, media attention, and organizational infrastructure in the success of social movements. The Black Lives Matter movement was able to establish new chapters around the country by leveraging existing resources and network connections.

Question 10

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

If the NRA began to nominate its own candidates rather than endorsing external candidates, it would be taking on the role of a political party, rather than an interest group. Interest groups typically endorse or support candidates, but do not directly nominate them.

Question 11

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 an example of lobbying, which is the act of attempting to influence policymakers on behalf of an interest group.

Question 12

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 13

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 14

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

Accepted Answer

Interest groups do not nominate candidates for elected office; this is a function of political parties.

Question 15

The civil rights movement is best characterized as a/an ________ 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 a multitude of organizations with varying strategies and tactics, including direct action, protests, and grassroot mobilization. It aimed to achieve equal rights and opportunities for Black Americans who were systematically excluded from political participation and economic prosperity. Therefore, it is best characterized as a social movement.

Question 16

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 do. Interest groups focus on advocating for specific policies or causes, while political parties are focused on winning elections and gaining control of government.

Question 17

According to the resource mobilization perspective, the civil rights movement succeeded in part because it was able to ________.

Accepted Answer

The resource mobilization perspective suggests that social movement success relies on the ability to mobilize resources such as money, media attention, and organizational infrastructure. The civil rights movement was successful in part because it was able to tap into preexisting networks of student organizations and churches, which provided both financial resources and a ready-made base of supporters who could be easily mobilized for collective action. Option B describes this process accurately. Options A, C, D, and E include elements of the movement's success but do not capture the key role of preexisting networks in facilitating mobilization.

Question 18

In the period between 1998 and 2016, the _______________ lobbies spent the most on lobbying activities in the United States.

Accepted Answer

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, from 1998 to 2016, the top three industries that spent the most on lobbying activities were health, business, and finance. The total spending by these three industries amounted to over $22 billion. The energy/natural resources industry is also a significant lobbying force, but ranks fourth in terms of total spending during this time period. The defense industry is further down the list, ranking eighth. Transportation is not among the top five industries in terms of lobbying spending.

Question 19

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 by speaking to them directly or by pressuring them through their constituents.

Question 20

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.

Quiz 11: Interest Groups and Social Movements