Chapter 1 Concepts

Question 1

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

Answer 1

Area studies

Question 2

A movement within political science during the 1950’s and 1960’s to develop general theories about individual political behavior that could be applied across all countries

Answer 2

Behavior Revolution

Question 3

cause and effect; when a change in one variable causes a change in another variable

i.e.; colonizer onto colonized is ________

Answer 3

causal relationship

Question 4

The means by which social scientists make comparisons across cases

Answer 4

Comparative Method

Question 5

The study and comparison of domestic politics across countries

Answer 5

Comparative Politics

Question 6

An apparent relationship between two or more variables

Answer 6

Correlation

Question 7

Research that works from hypothesis that is then tested against data.

Answer 7

Deductive Reasoning

Question 8

A variable whose value changes based on that of another

Answer 8

Dependent Variable

Question 9

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

Answer 9

Endogeneity

Question 10

Institutions usually based on officially sanctioned rules that are relatively clear

Answer 10

Formal institutions

Question 11

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

Answer 11

Freedom

Question 12

An approach that emphasizes how actors or organizations behave in their goal to influence others; built upon assumptions of rational choice

Answer 12

Game Theory

Question 13

A variable whose value does not depend on that of another

Answer 13

Independent Variable

Question 14

Research that works from case studies in order to generate hypotheses

Answer 14

Inductive Reasoning

Question 15

institutions that have unwritten and unofficial rules

but there are still rules that exist

Answer 15

Informal institutions

Question 16

An organization or activity that is self - perpetuating and valued for its own sake

Answer 16

Institution

Question 17

A field in political science that concentrates on relations between countries, such as foreign policy, war, trade and foreign aid.

Also things like informal communications in media can be labelled this if they are between major people in a country.

Answer 17

International relations

Question 18

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

This is also where a lot of western bias comes from.

Answer 18

Modernization Theory

Question 19

When variables are interconnected and interact to produce particular outcomes

Answer 19

Multicausality

Question 20

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

could be found in something as big as war or as simple as a school.

Answer 20

Politics

Question 21

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

Answer 21

Power

Question 22

Study through statistical data from many cases

Answer 22

Quantitative Method

Question 23

Study through an in - depth investigation of a limited number of cases

Answer 23

Qualitative Method

Question 24

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

Answer 24

Rational Choice

Question 25

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

Answer 25

Selection Bias

Question 26

An integrated set of hypotheses, assumptions and facts.

Answer 26

Theory