Chapter 11 - Interest Groups & Social Movements

Question 1

Interest group

Answer 1

Any group other than a political party that is organized to influence the government

Question 2

Lobbying

Answer 2

An attempt to influence public officials by

speaking to them directly or by pressuring them through their constituents

Question 3

Inside lobbying

Answer 3

Activities by lobbyists and interest group leaders that involve direct contact with policy makers

Question 4

Outside lobbying

Answer 4

Activities by interest group leaders that seek to mobilize constituents and others outside the policymaking community to contact or pressure policy makers

Question 5

Latent interest

Answer 5

A concern shared by a group of people on which they have not yet chosen to act collectively

Question 6

By-product

Answer 6

A political activity conducted by groups whose principal organizational purpose is the pursuit of some nonpolitical goal

Question 7

Selective incentive

Answer 7

A benefit that a group can offer to potential members in exchange for participation as a way to encourage that involvement

Question 8

Special donor

Answer 8

A potential participant in a group for whom the cost of participating is very low and/or the benefits of participating are very high

Question 9

Entrepreneur

Answer 9

A leading group participant who is so committed to the group’s goals, and/ or so skilled in the pursuit of those goals, that he or she does not need selective incentives

Question 10

Social movement

Answer 10

A loose coalition of groups and organizations with common goals that are oriented toward using mass action to influence the government

Question 11

Pluralism

Answer 11

A view of the American political system that
emphasizes the fact that a large number of diverse interest groups are involved in the political process, and that any given group may be influential on some occasions and not on others