Question 1

According to the authors, the three major components of political science are ______.
A) governance, political economy, and political psychology
B) empirical, ethical, and prudential
C) ethical, empirical, and predictive
D) ethical, empirical, and choice

Accepted Answer

Political science is traditionally divided into three major components that focus on different aspects of the political world: empirical (factual and descriptive), ethical (moral and prescriptive), and prudential (advisory and strategic). These components help scholars and practitioners understand, evaluate, and navigate political phenomena.

Question 2

A philosophy that holds that human beings can know only that which is based on observable, scientific facts and data derived from experience is called ______.
A) existentialism
B) natural law
C) normative reason
D) positivism

Accepted Answer

Positivism is the philosophy that asserts the only authentic knowledge is that which is based on actual, observable phenomena and their relationships, as verified through empirical evidence and logical analysis. This approach dismisses metaphysical speculations and emphasizes the importance of scientific methods in understanding the world.

Question 3

The four basic subfields of political science are ______.
A) American government, international relations, comparative politics, and political theory
B) American government, empirical theory, international relations and comparative politics
C) American government, international relations, comparative politics, and rational choice theory
D) American politics, international relations, political economy, and political theory

Accepted Answer

The four basic subfields of political science are American government, international relations, comparative politics, and political theory. These areas cover the broad spectrum of political science, focusing on the workings of the American political system, the interactions between countries, the comparison of different political systems, and the philosophical foundations of politics, respectively.

Question 4

Who argued that the quest for the "best political order" must be central to political science?
A) Leo Strauss
B) David Easton
C) Robert Dahl
D) Harold Lasswell

Accepted Answer

Leo Strauss emphasized the importance of understanding the principles of the best political order as a central concern of political science, arguing that political philosophy should focus on these fundamental questions.

Question 5

Political empiricism is concerned with ______.
A) what has been, what is, and what will be
B) what can be
C) a hypothetical about the ideal world
D) what cannot be

Accepted Answer

Political empiricism focuses on the observation and analysis of political phenomena as they have occurred, are occurring, or will occur, relying on empirical evidence and data.

Question 6

Many famous political thinkers have been concerned with developing theory that integrates political values, social scientific knowledge, and wise action. Which of the following individuals developed an integrated prescriptive theory concerned with the importance of making republican values central to his thinking in a large diverse country?
A) Plato
B) Alexander Hamilton
C) Karl Marx
D) James Madison

Accepted Answer

James Madison is known for his contributions to the Federalist Papers and his role in framing the U.S. Constitution, where he emphasized the importance of republican values in governing a large, diverse country.

Question 7

The ethical component of political science has as its main focus ______.
A) political judgments
B) political values
C) political phenomena
D) political campaigns

Accepted Answer

The ethical component of political science primarily focuses on political values, examining the moral aspects and principles that underlie political actions and systems.

Question 8

An early leader of the post-World War II behavioral revolution in political science was ______.
A) David Easton
B) Leo Strauss
C) Karl Deutsch
D) Bertrand de Jouvenal

Accepted Answer

David Easton was a prominent figure in the development of the behavioral approach in political science, emphasizing the application of scientific methods and techniques to the study of political behavior.

Question 9

In the realm of political judgment, the prudential component of political science is concerned with ______.
A) which public policies should prevail
B) which public policies actually exist
C) which public policies can be formulated and sensibly implemented
D) none of these; the prudential component does not concern itself with public policy

Accepted Answer

The prudential component of political science is concerned with which public policies can be formulated and sensibly implemented.

Question 10

When a political scientist's research is most concerned with what ought to be, it is a reflection of which component of the discipline?
A) empirical
B) ethical
C) prudential
D) theoretical integration

Accepted Answer

Ethical research in political science focuses on normative questions, or what ought to be, rather than what is. This contrasts with empirical research, which seeks to observe and explain political phenomena as they exist.

Question 11

A postbehavioral approach to political science inspired by economics is ______.
A) empiricism
B) ethical recommendation
C) rational choice or "rat choice"
D) prudential judgment

Accepted Answer

Rational choice theory, often abbreviated as "rat choice" in informal contexts, is inspired by economics and applies the principles of rational decision-making to understand political behavior. It assumes that individuals make political decisions by considering their preferences and the constraints they face, aiming to maximize their benefits.

Question 12

The gathering and analysis of voting results in an election to determine why citizens voted for particular candidates would be an example of which task of political science?
A) theoretical integration
B) ethical concern
C) empirical understanding
D) prudential or wise judgment

Accepted Answer

The task described involves collecting and analyzing data to understand the reasons behind voters' choices, which is an example of empirical understanding. This approach is focused on observing and explaining phenomena based on evidence.

Question 13

Three of the following constitute what David Easton called the "intellectual foundation stones" of behavioralism. Which of the four is not a foundation stone?
A) a belief in regularities, uniformities of political behavior
B) a commitment to verification of such generalizations through testing
C) an emphasis on quantification where possible
D) an obligation to use empirical data to advise policymakers

Accepted Answer

David Easton's "intellectual foundation stones" of behavioralism include a belief in regularities or uniformities of political behavior, a commitment to verification of such generalizations through empirical testing, and an emphasis on quantification where possible. The obligation to use empirical data to advise policymakers, while important in some contexts, is not listed by Easton as a foundational stone of behavioralism. Behavioralism focuses more on the methodology of political analysis rather than the application of research findings to policy advice.

Question 14

The title of Harold Lasswell's influential book defining politics is ______.
A) Politics: Who Gets What, When, How
B) A Theory of Justice
C) The Political System
D) Creative Breakthroughs in Politics

Accepted Answer

Harold Lasswell's influential book that defines politics is titled "Politics: Who Gets What, When, How." This work is renowned for introducing a functional approach to understanding politics and political processes.

Question 15

The search for an empirical science of politics has been closely associated with a movement known as _________________, the belief that scientific method can be fruitfully applied to the social sciences.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The search for an empirical science of...

Question 16

The concept of _____________________________ can be used to help define the well-being of a political community and is useful as an integrating concept for the discipline of political science.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The concept of _____________________________ can be used...

Question 17

A postbehavioral model for understanding politics based on economics is called _______________________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A postbehavioral model for understanding politics based...

Question 18

When political scientists are focusing on what can be, that is, when they are exercising wise judgment about the practical tasks of politics, they are concerning themselves with the ______________ component of political science.

Accepted Answer

The answer of When political scientists are focusing on what...

Question 19

Political scientists making recommendations on what actions by leaders, citizens, or other actors are right or wrong are focusing on the __________________ component of political science.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Political scientists making recommendations on what actions...

Question 20

The authors identify three major components of political science--ethical, empirical, and prudential. Which of these components, in your judgment, is the most difficult to deal with? Why? Which is the least difficult to deal with? Why?

Accepted Answer

The answer of The authors identify three major components of...

Quiz 3: Political Science: Components, Tasks, and Controversies

According to the authors, the three major components of political science are ______.

A philosophy that holds that human beings can know only that which is based on observable, scientific facts and data derived from experience is called ______.

The four basic subfields of political science are ______.

Who argued that the quest for the "best political order" must be central to political science?

Political empiricism is concerned with ______.

The ethical component of political science has as its main focus ______.

An early leader of the post-World War II behavioral revolution in political science was ______.

In the realm of political judgment, the prudential component of political science is concerned with ______.

When a political scientist's research is most concerned with what ought to be, it is a reflection of which component of the discipline?

A postbehavioral approach to political science inspired by economics is ______.

The gathering and analysis of voting results in an election to determine why citizens voted for particular candidates would be an example of which task of political science?

Three of the following constitute what David Easton called the "intellectual foundation stones" of behavioralism. Which of the four is not a foundation stone?

The title of Harold Lasswell's influential book defining politics is ______.