Mid Term Terms / Concepts from slides

Question 1

Institutions def / importance

Answer 1

• Structures and rules that shape and constrain political behavior, such as legislatures, courts, and electoral systems.
• Provide stability, predictability, and limit individual behavior within the political system.

Question 2

Rationality def / importance

Answer 2

• The assumption that political actors (voters, politicians) act in ways that maximize their self-interest based on available information.
• Helps explain political decision-making and behavior under various institutional constraints.

Question 3

Collective Action

Answer 3

• Situations where individuals benefit from cooperating but face barriers due to individual incentives to act in self-interest (e.g., voting, public goods).
• Explains why voter turnout may be low and why public policy cooperation can be challenging.

Question 4

History

Answer 4

Refers to the past events and experiences, such as British colonial rule and the Articles of Confederation, that influenced the creation and evolution of U.S. political institutions, shaping the design of the Constitution and electoral systems to balance power and prevent tyranny.

Question 5

How Does the U.S. Make Rules About Elections?

Answer 5

• The U.S. makes rules about elections through a combination of federal and state laws, with the Constitution providing a framework and states having flexibility to regulate time, place, and manner.
• Balances federal and state power, impacting election administration and voter access.

Question 6

Why Does the U.S. Have the Electoral Institutions It Has?

Answer 6

• The U.S. electoral institutions (e.g., Electoral College) were established to balance power between states, prevent majority tyranny, and protect minority rights.
• Reflects the Founders’ concerns over direct democracy and desire to maintain federalism and representation.

Question 7

Experience of British Rule and Articles of Confederation.

Answer 7

• British rule and the Articles of Confederation created distrust of centralized power, leading to a federal system with checks and balances and limited government.
• Shaped the design of the Constitution and the structure of electoral institutions in the U.S.

Question 8

Representative vs. Direct Democracy

Answer 8

• Representative democracy involves electing officials to make decisions, while direct democracy allows citizens to vote on policies directly.
• Representative democracy provides stability and protects minority rights; direct democracy is more responsive but less stable.

Question 9

Persuasion vs. Replacement

Answer 9

• Elections persuade elected officials to be responsive to the public or serve as a means to replace them if they fail to do so.
• Describes the dual purpose of elections in democratic accountability.

Question 10

Invisible Primary

Answer 10

• The pre-voting phase where candidates seek support, endorsements, and funding from party elites to establish viability before primary elections.
• Sets the stage for primary success and signals candidate viability to voters and donors.

Question 11

History of party nominations

Answer 11

• The process of party nominations has evolved from caucuses controlled by party elites to primaries and caucuses where voters have greater input
• Reflects the shift from elite control to more democratic participation in candidate selection.

Question 12

McGovern Fraser of Commission

Answer 12

• A commission established after the 1968 Democratic Convention to reform the nomination process, increasing transparency and reducing party elite control.
• Resulted in the rise of the modern primary system, empowering voters in the selection of nominees.

Question 13

Why Do Candidates Drop Out?

Answer 13

• Candidates drop out due to a lack of funding, poor polling, negative media coverage, or structural barriers like delegate rules and frontloading of primaries.
• Understanding why candidates drop out helps explain how the primary process narrows the field.

Question 14

Conventions

Answer 14

• Events where political parties formally nominate their candidate, unify the party, and present a platform to the public.
• Serve as a turning point between primary and general elections and provide a platform for party messaging.

Question 15

Debates

Answer 15

• Public forums where candidates present and defend their positions, allowing voters to compare and evaluate candidates.
• Can influence voter perceptions but rarely shift election outcomes significantly.

Question 16

The Electoral College

Answer 16

• A body of electors chosen by each state to formally elect the President and Vice President of the United States.
• Balances power between smaller and larger states; can produce outcomes different from the popular vote.

Question 17

Campaign Goals

Answer 17

• The primary goal of a campaign is to win the election by persuading voters, increasing name recognition, and mobilizing supporters.
• Campaign strategies are developed around this goal, influencing messaging and resource allocation.

Question 18

Vote Targeting

Answer 18

• The strategic allocation of resources and messaging to specific voter groups that are most likely to influence the election outcome.
• Helps campaigns focus on swing voters and states, optimizing campaign efficiency and impact.

Question 19

Advertising

Answer 19

• The use of media to promote a candidate’s message, emphasizing strengths and/or attacking opponents, often using visuals, music, and messaging techniques.
• Shapes voter perceptions and reinforces campaign themes and policy positions.

Question 20

Professionals vs. Amateurs (candidates)

Answer 20

• Professionals are experienced politicians, while amateurs have no political experience and often run for personal or policy-driven reasons.
• Candidate type influences campaign strategies and voter expectations.

Question 21

Why run (candidates)?

Answer 21

• Candidates run for reasons such as personal ambition, policy goals, party loyalty, or to challenge the status quo.
• Understanding motivations helps explain campaign strategies and voter appeal.

Question 22

Policy vs. Valence

Answer 22

• Policy appeals focus on specific issues, while valence appeals emphasize candidate qualities like competence, honesty, and integrity.
• Voters may prefer valence candidates if policy positions are ambiguous or secondary to personal traits.

Question 23

Why do fewer women serve in congress?

Answer 23

• Barriers such as recruitment biases, gender norms, and institutional challenges limit the number of women who run for and hold office.
• Explains underrepresentation and suggests areas for potential reforms and support mechanisms.

Question 24

Theories of Lower Representation

Answer 24

• Theories such as supply-side (fewer women candidates) and demand-side (bias in recruitment and support) help explain why women are underrepresented.
• These theories provide a framework for understanding gender disparities in politics.

Question 25

Theories of Democracy

Answer 25

• Models that describe how democracy should function, such as populist (people directly control policy) and leadership (voters choose leaders to make decisions).
• Helps evaluate the effectiveness and legitimacy of democratic systems.

Question 26

Populist Theory

Answer 26

• Voters directly control policies by electing representatives who carry out their will, emphasizing the responsiveness of officials to public opinion.
• Provides a framework for understanding the role of public opinion in policy-making.

Question 27

Leadership Selection Theory

Answer 27

• Elections are seen as a way to select leaders who then make decisions on behalf of the public, rather than being directly influenced by public opinion on every issue.
• Emphasizes the importance of trust in leadership and representative decision-making.

Question 28

Retrospective Voting

Answer 28

• Voters base decisions on the past performance of incumbents or parties, considering whether their lives have improved or worsened.
• Focuses on evaluating past actions rather than future promises, influencing accountability.

Question 29

RAS Model (Receive-Accept-Sample) 4- Axioms (RRAR)

Answer 29

1) Reception Axiom: The more engaged individuals are with politics, the more likely they are to be exposed to and understand political messages.

2) Resistance Axiom: People tend to resist arguments that contradict their pre-existing beliefs unless they lack the contextual knowledge to do so.

3) Accessibility Axiom: The more recently a consideration has been thought about, the more accessible it is for use in forming opinions.

4) Response Axiom: Individuals answer survey questions by averaging across the considerations that are accessible to them at the moment of response.

Question 30

Negative Partisanship

Answer 30

• When voters are motivated more by dislike or opposition to the other party than by support for their own party.
• Contributes to increasing polarization and influences voter turnout and engagement.