POLS 102 Mercurio Final Exam Terms Questions and Answers Graded A+
interest group - Answers A collection of people who share a common interest or attitude and seek to
influence government for specific ends. Interest groups usually work within the framework of
government and try to achieve their goals through tactics such as lobbying.
Lobbyist - Answers The individuals who represent and advocate on behalf of an interest group.
public interest group - Answers An interest group that advocates for an issue that benefits society as a
whole.
economic interest groups - Answers Interest groups that include organizations that lobby for big
businesses.
grassroots lobbying - Answers Efforts to mobilize local support for an issue position the group has taken.
Political Action Committee (PAC) - Answers A political arm of a business, labor, trade, professional, or
other group. Are legally authorized to raise voluntary funds from employees or members of the group to
contribute to a party or candidate.
agenda building - Answers The process by which new issues are brought to the attention of political
decision-makers.
program monitoring - Answers When individuals or groups keep track of the government's actions to
determine whether and how a bureaucracy or other administrative agency is implementing legislation.
voter fatigue - Answers The term for the apathy that the electorate can experience when they are
required to vote too often in too many elections.
open primaries - Answers Allows anyone who is eligible to vote in the primary election to vote for a
party's selection.
closed primaries - Answers Voters are required to register with a specific party before the election and
are only able to vote in the party's election for which they are registered.
presidential primary - Answers A series of staggered electoral contests in which members of a party
choose delegates to attend the party's national convention which officially nominates the party's
presidential candidate.
Caucus - Answers A meeting of party members to choose party officials or candidates for public office
and to decide the platform.
voter turnout - Answers the percentage of eligible citizens who actually vote in a given election
rational choice model - Answers Developed by Anthony Downs, who argued that individuals are self-
interested actors who use a cost-benefit analysis to determine whether it is in their self-interest to vote.
, civic duty model - Answers a person votes out of a sense of responsibility to the political unit, or a
commitment to democratic government and the obligations and duties as well as the rights of citizens to
maintain self-government.
political efficacy - Answers The belief that one's political participation really matters - that one's vote can
actually make a difference
Individual explanations - Answers voting based on an individual's motivation
system explanations - Answers focus on aspects of the political system that affect voter turnout.
voter registration - Answers the requirement that a person check in with some central registry in order
to be allowed to vote in an election.
Ideology - Answers a belief system that consists of a relatively coherent set of ideas about government
and politics AND the public policies that are intended to implement the ideas or achieve the goals.
Traditional Conservatism - Answers preserving, keeping, or protecting traditional beliefs, values,
customs, or ways of doing things.
Modern Conservatism - Answers A set of beliefs that includes a limited role for the national government
in helping individuals, support for traditional values and lifestyles, and a cautious response to change.
liberal - Answers progressive, a person who believes in individual liberty.
Classical Liberalism - Answers rooted in the ideas of the English political philosopher John Locke. Reason,
Individualism, Liberty, Social Contract Theory of Government, Property Rights
Terrorism - Answers the use of violence or the threat of violence to intimidate or coerce a people,
principally for political purposes.
Liberatarianism - Answers A set of beliefs that includes valuing freedom and believe that individuals and
groups can organize life with only minimal government. A positive view of human nature.
Socialism - Answers the belief that economic power is the basis of political power and that economic
equality is essential for political equality.
Communism - Answers an extreme version of socialism. It takes the socialist ideal of equality, and the
government's responsibility to achieve it in the economic, political, and social sectors to the point where
there is no distinction between a private sector and the public sector. totalitarian.
Anarchism - Answers the political philosophy that government should be abolished because it is
unnecessary and illegitimate.
Feminism - Answers a social or political movement that strives for equal rights for women.
interest group - Answers A collection of people who share a common interest or attitude and seek to
influence government for specific ends. Interest groups usually work within the framework of
government and try to achieve their goals through tactics such as lobbying.
Lobbyist - Answers The individuals who represent and advocate on behalf of an interest group.
public interest group - Answers An interest group that advocates for an issue that benefits society as a
whole.
economic interest groups - Answers Interest groups that include organizations that lobby for big
businesses.
grassroots lobbying - Answers Efforts to mobilize local support for an issue position the group has taken.
Political Action Committee (PAC) - Answers A political arm of a business, labor, trade, professional, or
other group. Are legally authorized to raise voluntary funds from employees or members of the group to
contribute to a party or candidate.
agenda building - Answers The process by which new issues are brought to the attention of political
decision-makers.
program monitoring - Answers When individuals or groups keep track of the government's actions to
determine whether and how a bureaucracy or other administrative agency is implementing legislation.
voter fatigue - Answers The term for the apathy that the electorate can experience when they are
required to vote too often in too many elections.
open primaries - Answers Allows anyone who is eligible to vote in the primary election to vote for a
party's selection.
closed primaries - Answers Voters are required to register with a specific party before the election and
are only able to vote in the party's election for which they are registered.
presidential primary - Answers A series of staggered electoral contests in which members of a party
choose delegates to attend the party's national convention which officially nominates the party's
presidential candidate.
Caucus - Answers A meeting of party members to choose party officials or candidates for public office
and to decide the platform.
voter turnout - Answers the percentage of eligible citizens who actually vote in a given election
rational choice model - Answers Developed by Anthony Downs, who argued that individuals are self-
interested actors who use a cost-benefit analysis to determine whether it is in their self-interest to vote.
, civic duty model - Answers a person votes out of a sense of responsibility to the political unit, or a
commitment to democratic government and the obligations and duties as well as the rights of citizens to
maintain self-government.
political efficacy - Answers The belief that one's political participation really matters - that one's vote can
actually make a difference
Individual explanations - Answers voting based on an individual's motivation
system explanations - Answers focus on aspects of the political system that affect voter turnout.
voter registration - Answers the requirement that a person check in with some central registry in order
to be allowed to vote in an election.
Ideology - Answers a belief system that consists of a relatively coherent set of ideas about government
and politics AND the public policies that are intended to implement the ideas or achieve the goals.
Traditional Conservatism - Answers preserving, keeping, or protecting traditional beliefs, values,
customs, or ways of doing things.
Modern Conservatism - Answers A set of beliefs that includes a limited role for the national government
in helping individuals, support for traditional values and lifestyles, and a cautious response to change.
liberal - Answers progressive, a person who believes in individual liberty.
Classical Liberalism - Answers rooted in the ideas of the English political philosopher John Locke. Reason,
Individualism, Liberty, Social Contract Theory of Government, Property Rights
Terrorism - Answers the use of violence or the threat of violence to intimidate or coerce a people,
principally for political purposes.
Liberatarianism - Answers A set of beliefs that includes valuing freedom and believe that individuals and
groups can organize life with only minimal government. A positive view of human nature.
Socialism - Answers the belief that economic power is the basis of political power and that economic
equality is essential for political equality.
Communism - Answers an extreme version of socialism. It takes the socialist ideal of equality, and the
government's responsibility to achieve it in the economic, political, and social sectors to the point where
there is no distinction between a private sector and the public sector. totalitarian.
Anarchism - Answers the political philosophy that government should be abolished because it is
unnecessary and illegitimate.
Feminism - Answers a social or political movement that strives for equal rights for women.
