Chapter 1

Question 1

Area Studies

Answer 1

A regional focus when studying political science, rather than studying parts of the world where similar variables are clustered

Question 2

Comparative Politics

Answer 2

The study and comparison of domestic politics across countries

Question 3

International Relations

Answer 3

A field in political science that concentrates on relations between countries

Question 4

Comparative Method

Answer 4

The means by which social scientists make comparison across cases

Question 5

Causation

Answer 5

When one variable appears to directly influence another

Question 6

Correlation

Answer 6

Shows that there is relationship between two variables but they don’t necessarily impact one another

Question 7

Multicausality

Answer 7

When variables are interconnected and interact to produce particular outcomes

Question 8

Deductive Reasoning

Answer 8

Research that works from a hypothesis and is then tested against data

Question 9

Inductive Reasoning

Answer 9

Research that works from case studies in order to generate hypotheses

Question 10

Qualitative Method

Answer 10

Emphasis on depth over breadth, study through an in-depth investigation of a limited number of cases

Question 11

Quantitative Method

Answer 11

Emphasis on breadth over depth, study of many cases using statistical data

Question 12

Dependent Variable

Answer 12

The effect, depends on other factors and is expected to change

Question 13

Independent Variable

Answer 13

The cause, remains constant and isn’t changed by other variables

Question 14

Equality

Answer 14

A material standard of living shared by individuals within a community, society, or country

Question 15

Freedom

Answer 15

The ability of an individual to act independently, without fear of restriction or punishment by the state or other individuals or groups in society

Question 16

Institutions

Answer 16

Organizations or activities that are self-perpetuating and valued for their own sake.

Question 17

Formal Institutions

Answer 17

Based on officially sanctioned rules that are relatively clear

Question 18

Informal Institutions

Answer 18

Institutions with unwritten and unofficial rules but just as influential/powerful as formal

Question 19

Politics

Answer 19

The struggle in any group for power that will give one or more persons the ability to make decisions for the larger group

Question 20

Power

Answer 20

The ability to influence others or impose one’s will on them

Question 21

Theory

Answer 21

An integrated set of hypotheses, assumptions, and facts

Question 22

Modernization Theory

Answer 22

A theory that believes that as societies developed they would take on a common set of characteristics including democracy and capitalism

Question 23

Behavioral Revolution

Answer 23

A movement within political science during the 1950s and 60s to develop general theories about individual political behavior that could be applied across all countries

Question 24

Rational Choice

Answer 24

Approach that assumes that individuals weigh the costs and benefits and make choices to maximize their benefits

Question 25

Game Theory

Answer 25

An approach that emphasizes how actors or organizations behave in their goal to influence others

Question 26

Endogeneity

Answer 26

The issue that cause and effect are often not clear, variables may be both cause and effect in relation to one another

Question 27

Selection Bias

Answer 27

A focus on effects rather than causes, which can lead to inaccurate conclusions about correlation or causation