test 1 Flashcards
(36 cards)
How do we define politics?
The process through which power and influence are used in the promotion of certain values and interests
What is political science?
techniques, concepts, and approaches used to understand politics
What are the different types of knowledge associated with political science?
- Description of political facts
- explanations of how and why politics occurs as it does
- Prescriptions of what should happen in the political world
What are the characteristics of the scientific method?
- observed/measured
- regularities in phenomenon
- cumulative
- testable
How do we apply the scientific method to political science
describe/explain politics
What are major subfields of political science?
- political theory
- american politics
- international relations
- comparative politics
What are prescriptions and how do they effect our political views?
- value judgement that indicates what should be done
* answers to questions of what ought to be not mere description of what is
What do we study when looking at micro politics?
The individual
What are the three political orientations we use when reacting to political phenomena?
- Cognitive
- Evaluative
- Affective
What are political belief systems?
configuration of political orientations
What characteristics do we use to examine a persons belief system?
- content
- complexity
- consistency
- Salience
- stability
- motivate to political action
What are the characteristics of a simple versus sophisticated belief system?
Simplistic knows facts and opinions
Sophisticated knows abstract or overarching concepts
What are political ideologies?
Comprehensive set of beliefs about the political world- about desirable political goals and the best way to achieve them
What is constraint knowledge?
Grasp of abstract overarching political concepts
How do types of government affect political actions?
Less/no democratic countries have greater reliance on unconventional political behavior
What types of actions do political interest groups engage in?
- Political action
- Cooperation
- Exchange information
- Provide material resources
What are the characteristic of an interest group?
- share the common objective of attempting to influence the allocation of public influence
- Pursue variety of strategies to achieve purpose
What are the characteristics of political parties?
A group that attempts to capture political power directly by placing members in government office
What are the different types of interest groups?
- Anomic
- Associational
- Non-association
- Institutional
What is conventional political action?
Voting, campaign activities
What is unconventional political action?
Protest, terrorism
What are the activities that political parties often engage in?
- link individual and system
- brokers of ideas
- coordinate governmental operations
- agents of political socialization
- serving as sources of opposition
- mobilizing and recruiting political activists
What is political socialization?
Process that forms political beliefs and values
What are the agents of political socialization?
- Major sources of political training
- family
- schools
- peer groups
- media
- religion
- culture
- events