Catch-All Study Deck

Question 1

Statistics: What is the difference between closed and open ended questions?

Answer 1

Closed questions give predisposed choices and the respondents pick one, whereas open ended questions mean that the respondent can say whatever they want.

Question 2

Statistics: What are cross-sectional, time-series, and panel data?

Answer 2

Cross-Sectional- Collection of data that is observed at one point in time
Time-Series- Collection of data that uses the same unit of analysis but over multiple stages of time
Panel- Collection of data that is multiple units of analysis over multiple units of time

Question 3

Electoral Systems: What are the three types of indirect presidential elections?

Answer 3

Legislative (legislature elects the president), legislative plus (legislature + external actors elect the president), and Electoral College (applicable in the United States)

Question 4

Electoral Systems: What is a bloc vote?

Answer 4

A bloc vote is when voters in a multi member district are given as many votes as seats needed to be filled and office is given based on a plurality (votes cannot be cast for the same candidate)

Question 5

Electoral Systems: What is a cumulative vote?

Answer 5

A cumulative vote is when electors are given as many votes as there are candidates and are able to stack the votes for candidates of their choosing (helps minority parties theoretically)

Question 6

Electoral Systems: What is a limited vote?

Answer 6

A limited vote upholds the same principles of the cumulative vote except electors are given less votes than there are candidates

Question 7

Electoral Systems: What is a Single-Non-Transferrable-Vote?

Answer 7

A SNTV is when citizens can cast one vote in a multimember district and the winner is chosen by a plurality

Question 8

Electoral Systems: What is a Single-Tranferrable-Vote?

Answer 8

A STV is when parties put forth as many candidates as they see viable to win the election and voters rank candidates from those choices. Then, a quota is established and if candidates meet that quota, they can win office.

Question 9

Electoral Systems: What is an alternative vote?

Answer 9

An alternative vote is used when no candidate secures a majority and then the lowest scoring candidates are eliminated and their votes are redistributed until a majority is secured (used in Australia).

Question 10

Electoral Systems: What is the difference between a parallel and compensatory mixed system?

Answer 10

Parallel- Principles of PR and Majoritarian systems are applied separately
Compensatory- Principles of PR and Majoritarian systems are applied jointly

Question 11

Electoral Systems: What does Norris consider beneficial/drawbacks to a two-round presidential system?

Answer 11

Benefits- Allows voters to “vote with their heart” in the first round and “vote with their head” in the second
Drawbacks- Can be costly/could potentially see a decrease in voter turnout

Question 12

Voter Behavior (Sociological): What is the difference in objective and subjective voting as outlined by the Michigan School?

Answer 12

Objective- Objective voting is based on shared experiences.
Subjective- Subjective voting is based on identifying group members like oneself

Question 13

Voter Behavior (Sociological): What are the 5 explanations for a decline in class based voting?

Answer 13

Social Mobility
New Social Divisions
More Sophisticated Voters
Postmaterialism
Macro Level Factors (Electoral challenge for social democratic parties)

Question 14

Voter Behavior (Rational): What is the underlying theory behind directional voting?

Answer 14

Directional voting states that voting is more symbolic and confusing than Down’s model outlines. Directional voting states that voters care more about being on the “same side” of politics rather than proximity to their own ideal point.

Question 15

Voter Behavior (Economic): What are the correlations between economic conditions and regime parties?

Answer 15

Good economic conditions are helpful for new regimes but hurt old regimes, whereas poor economic conditions are helpful for old regimes but hurt new regimes.

Essentially, old regimes perform better when the economy is worse and new regimes

Question 16

Voter Behavior (Economic): What is conditional economic voting?

Question 17

Voter Behavior (Economic): What is clarity of responsibility?

Answer 17

Clarity of responsibility, as outlined in the Powell reading, is the concept that assigning credit or blame to the incumbent is vital for voters who choose to vote economically.

Question 18

Voter Behavior (Economic): What is bicameral opposition?

Answer 18

Bicameral opposition, as outlined in the Powell reading, is a variable that affects clarity of responsibility. Powell states that when there is bicameral opposition in the government, blaming the incumbent is more challenging.

Question 19

Voter Behavior (Economic): What is minority government?

Answer 19

Minority government, as outlined by Powell, is a variable that affects clarity of responsibility. Powell states that minority governments are able to suffer lower levels of election losses than majority governments because it is easier to shift blame onto the majority governing power.

Question 20

Voter Behavior (Strategic): What is the difference between sincere and strategic voting?

Answer 20

Sincere voting- Ranking candidates and voting for your top choice
Strategic voting- Ranking candidates, applying criteria to top choice, if top choice is sufficient vote for them if not vote for second choice and so on.

Question 21

Voter Behavior (Strategic): What does valence mean in the context of Meirowtiz/Tuckers ‘Vote to Send a Message?’

Answer 21

In the context of voting to send a message, valence is the idea that voters actually care if the candidates that they vote for do their job well.

Question 22

Political Parties: What is the formal definition of a political party?

Answer 22

Political parties are permanent organizations formed to contest elections (generally) with a goal of occupying positions of authority.

Question 23

Party Systems: What are the three criteria for Mair’s Open and Closed Party Systems?

Answer 23

Patterns of alteration, types of governing formula, and access to government

Question 24

Party Systems: What is the Cox argument around party systems?

Answer 24

Cox argues that Duvegers Law only holds at the district level and that the number of parties ultimately is determined by the number of salient social cleavages.

Question 25

Party Systems: What are the effects of regime, economic, and institutional uncertainty on party systems as outlined by Lupu/Reidl.

Answer 25

Regime uncertainty= parties will fail to form around social cleavages resulting in oversized/inconsistent governing coalitions
Economic/Institutional uncertainty= parties will focus on developing organizational structures that reinforce fluidity rather than properly institutionalize.

Question 26

Partisanship: What are the two ways that partisanship can be measured?

Answer 26

Self-reported (7 point branching question); more direct
Behavioral (asking people about their partisan identity by carefully crafting survey questions); more discrete

Question 27

Ethnic Conflict: What role did Tito play in ethnic conflict in Yugoslavia?

Question 28

Ethnic Conflict: What role did Milosevic play in ethnic conflict in Yugoslavia?

Question 29

Ethnic Conflict: What role did Tudjman play in ethnic conflict in Yugoslavia?

Question 30

Polarization: What are some solutions to polarization?

Answer 30

Electoral Rules
Perspective Taking (empathy)
Activating Subordinate Identities (we are democrats/republicans but we are all Americans)
-Positive intergroup contact through institutions

Question 31

Polarization: What is sorting and what effects does it have on polarization?

Answer 31

Sorting is the process by which social identities become increasingly linked with political parties. Partisan views may become more salient, but polarization will not increase.

Question 32

Polarization: What are the three ways of measuring affective polarization?

Answer 32

Social Identity Theory (group membership is essential to ones sense of self; leads to in-group favoritism and out-group hostility)
Intergroup Emotion Theory (One experiences emotions on behalf of the group)
Intergroup Contact Theory (Negative experiences with members of the out-group can lead towards negative feelings of them)