A five-term member of the House has developed a reputation as being particularly successful at securing federal resources for his district to revitalize the historic downtown area, build new bridges, and repair dilapidated roads and sidewalks. This member of the House of Representatives has also been criticized for accepting large campaign contributions from agricultural entities that maintain substantial interests in the rural areas of the district. This legislator defends his actions as necessary to win reelection. After five terms, the representative abruptly decides he will retire at the end of his next term for personal reasons. In the following two years, he fails to obtain any federal resources for his district but continues to accept campaign contributions from the agricultural industry and advocate for agricultural interests in the hope of obtaining a job as a lobbyist with an agricultural group. This scenario is an example of which kind of behavior?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The behavior described is instrumental, as the representative is primarily motivated by personal gain (obtaining a job as a lobbyist) and is using campaign contributions to further that goal, rather than focusing on the needs of his constituents.

A Five-Term Member of the House Has Developed a Reputation