Study Guide for Unit 3:
Political
Parties, Interest Groups, Media
Chapter
8: Political Parties
Questions you should be able to answer:
1. What is
the meaning of a political party? What functions do parties in
2. What are
the “three heads” of political parties?
3. What is
the Downsian model of party government? What are its
limitations as a model for understanding the American party system?
4. How has
party identification changed over the years and what affect has it had on
elections?
5. Describe
the basic organization of American political parties. How do party politics at
the local, state, and national levels differ? Which level is most important and
why?
6. How did
the American two-party system evolve? How were coalitions important to this
evolution? Include in your answer a discussion of party eras and critical
elections.
7. What are
the political and policy consequences of having a two-party system? How have
third parties made a difference?
8. In what
ways have American political parties declined? What are the principal rivals of
the political parties? Speculate on the future of political parties in
Terms you should be
able to identify & describe:
party identification ticket-splitting
party machines patronage
closed primaries open primaries
blanket primaries coalition
party image national convention
national committee national chairperson
critical election party realignment
New Deal Coalition party
dealignment
winner-take-all system proportional representation
coalition government party neutrality
Chapter
11: Interest Groups
Questions you should be able to answer:
1. What are
interest groups? How do groups differ from political parties?
2. Why are
small groups generally more effective than large groups?
3. How do
intensity and financial resources affect interest group success? What are
single-issue groups and how effective have they been in American politics?
4. What are
the principal strategies that groups use to affect policymaking? Which strategy
seems to be the most effective, and why? Are certain strategies better suited
for different types of interest groups?
5. What
impact do political action committees have on interest group behavior? Evaluate
the role of political action committees.
6. What are
the different types of interest groups? What are their primary goals, what
strategies do they use, and how successful have they been?
7. How do
interest groups affect democracy and the scope of government in the
Terms you should be
able to identify & describe:
interest group collective
good
free-rider problem single-issue group
lobbying electioneering
PACs amicus curiae briefs
class action lawsuits
Chapter
7: The Mass Media & The Political Agenda
Questions you should be able to answer:
1. Using
examples from presidential politics, explain why image and the use of the nedia are so important in the American political system.
2. Explain
the historical development of the print and broadcast media in the U.S. Use
examples to illustrate your answer.
3. How does
television define what is newsworthy? Explain where television finds its news
stories and how they are presented to the American public.
4. Describe
how the media shape public opinion. What are the consequences of the media’s
influence on public opinion?
5. What is
the policy agenda? Who are the policy entrepreneurs and how do they utilize the
media to get their issues on the policy agenda?
6. Explain
how the news media affect the scope of government and American individualism.
How have they helped and hindered the growth of democracy in the
Terms you should be
able to identify & describe:
high-tech politics mass media
investigative journalism narrowcasting
Fairness Doctrine feeding
frenzy
Horse race coverage trial
balloons
sound bites selective perception
factions spin
control